I am sure many will disagree with me, but we sure don’t have the lyrical quality in a lot of today’s music as we have seen in the past. From Jim Croce, Sting, Bono, Nickleback, B.B. King and many others we have found connections in our own lives that bring their lyrics to life. Add Dave Matthews to that list (for me) with his song, The Space Between. Please allow a few quotes…

The Space Between,

The tears we cry,

Is the laughter that keeps us coming back for more,

The Space Between,

The wicked lies we tell,

And hope to keep safe from the pain.

But will I hold you again?

These fickle, fuddled words confuse me,

Like, “Will it rain today?”

Wasted hours talking, talking,

These twisted games we’re playing.

I won’t pretend that I know what Dave Matthews meant when he wrote this song. But I can tell you how these words spoke to me; and how I hope they can speak to you as well.

Life does not stop teaching lessons, whether we think we need lessons or not. And as much as I desire to somehow not be human, be above the noise and confusion I see as “humanity”, I find I am not exempt from the Lessons of the Spiritual Universe. Everywhere I turn, the lessons and opportunities to learn keep pouring in. Many believe (as do I) this is the Creator’s love for us arriving daily.

The latest lesson I have been experiencing is two-fold: first, the lesson of tension and second, the lesson of urgency. Both of these lessons “fleshed out” for me in the lyric of the above quoted song.

We all reach that point, the moment when we are so violently knocked off our axis, when the world and all in it seems like a spinning and wild ride, when we feel like we are sinking underwater and can not find the surface. At that moment, why do we fight back? Why do we sense we can re-configure and move on? Why do we watch the air bubbles rise to the surface and trust they will give us our path back to the surface?

Because we know that this current pain is The Space Between, somewhere in the sadness will be the moment of laughter, somewhere in the darkness of our pain, will be the Light that heals. Somewhere will be that person who will cheerlead us through this time.

This tension, while painful and difficult, is what gives rise to the blessing of being alive. In order to witness the thrill of childbirth, to feel the wind blow, the cool of the evening, to see a person healed, I must be alive. And by being alive, I mean open to all the sensations, sufferings, joys, trials and tribulations that life has to offer. Attempting to block out the parts and pains of life we do not want to experience is just an Adventure in Missing the Point.

Jesus understood this tension. Throughout His journeys here on earth, He often wept for the people around Him. He lived everyday-to it’s fullest. He did not shrink away (as I would prefer to do) from the pain of being human, He embraced it. He was aware He was here for a little while, and He planned every moment to bring the biggest returns He could.

While I must admit I am not ready to “relish” in this tension, I think I understand its purpose clearer. Regardless of the challenges, the pain or the sadness, I can push back on the tension and remind myself of the laughter and the joy. I can always remember what is on top of the clouds or on the other side because I have been there. I hope you have been there too.

The other lesson for me is the sense of urgency. I have never much shied away from speaking my mind, which is one of the reasons I am not the most popular guy in town. I often joke that I do not get a lot of Christmas cards. But even in my life, I find that I do not say what needs to be said. I get fired up about the injustice of acts being done in the name of God, I will speak loudly against today’s milquetoast and non-Biblical presentation of Jesus, but I quiet down when it comes to letting someone know: I love you and don’t want to live without you in my life.

Every one of you reading this article knows exactly what I am talking about. You already know whom you should be calling right now and telling them the words you hold back. We truly have today, that is it. It all ends with a phone call, a message, and a text. Be on the ready-because the world is going to shake whether we want it to or not.

I learned that there is a big difference between standing tall and standing strong. No matter how tall you stand, the Universe can bring situations that bring us all to our knees. But even there, in the gorge of eternal despair and sadness, we can all still find strength. I know I did.

Do not worry about “Will it rain today”. Who cares? Why care about it? What we need to be concerned about is if we have it right with each other. It is time to get it right with each other. I promise you, we can argue all day and night about how right you may be to be upset, feel cheated, betrayed, or whatever it is that hurts you. You can wait a lifetime for that person, family member, or group to come seek you out and offer forgiveness. You can stand tall-but you will stand-alone.

More to the point, are you ready for the bell to toll? If it ends today, can you honestly tell yourself being right was worth love? When the cost of being right costs love, then the cost of being right simply costs too much.

The sense of urgency we all need is this: live in this moment as your first and last. Live out your dreams, share ruthlessly, forgive relentlessly and most of all, love endlessly.

On that note, I know I have work to do.

David Fournier Rev. Dr.

The Centre for Hebraic Insights