O, f.., hier kom die koekiemonster

Dié relaas is Storieklong  en my Rots se skuld.

Storieklong het met sy vroegoggend bloginskrywing die tuinhekkie vroegdag oopgemaak, en Rots het my die tuinpaadjie af gelei, en nou moet ek die piekerery in my binneste uitskryf…

Rots deel ‘n gesprek met ‘n mede-entrepreneur in dieselle ouderdomsgroep as ons, so terwyl ons werk toe ry.

Hulle gesprek het begin met swak dienslewering op mislikepale vlak, soos kragtoevoer wat masjienerie laat blaas, waterrekeninge wat slegs met konneksies gesorteer kan raak, roekelose wetteloosheid by robotte en op paaie, stront wat innie pad afloop, belasting en so aan ensovoorts.

Die praat vorder tot by die gevoel dat hulle miskien moes bly vasbyt het en eerder hulle ja-baas-nee-baas-lewe tot pensioendag moes kies. Maar ons mede-swaartrekker sê ewe wys “liewer hierdie onsekerheid, as om glad nie te leef nie.”

Kapow.

Hy is reg.

Liewer bang, bedonnerd vir jou eie oorlewing as om nog ‘n ander te moet verryk.

Ding is: die belasting, die swak ekonomie, die politiekery wat so boelierig voel – kry mens op ‘n plek waar jy hartstogtelik wens om of die Lotto te wen of om maar liewer helemlhuiswaarts te keer.

Ek sit so en kou verder aan Storieklong se skrywe en Rots se mededeling en kom af op  die gemmerkoekmannetjie en die koekiemonster se weergawe van “The Scream” van Edvard Munch.

Die grap is nie so grappig nie.

Die f…. koekiemonster loer vir ons almal – ons lewensangs, ons vrese, ons onsekerheid oor klomp dinge. Soveel van ons het goete om te verwerk, te deurwerk. Die koekiemonster is massief en kan ons oorweldig.

Edvard Munch het self oor sy skildery in 1895 soos volg geskryf:

“I was walking down the road with two friends when the sun set; suddenly, the sky turned as red as blood. I stopped and leaned against the fence, feeling unspeakably tired. Tongues of fire and blood stretched over the bluish black fjord. My friends went on walking, while I lagged behind, shivering with fear. Then I heard the enormous infinite scream of nature.” 

Ek pieker so voort en ons boekevat uit Galasiërs 5  heelweek kom by my op. Ons het gelukkig die Gees wat ons lei, wat vir ons bid as daar nie woorde is nie, as die skreeu geluidloos kom, as ons vergeet ons glo.

Dis al opiaat wat werk, skryf Stephan Joubert.

Ek bid stil om vergifnis oor my lelike byvoeglike naamwoord vir die koekiemonster.

En net so om ‘n kroon op al die simpel aardse denke te sit, lees ek wysheid van Roger Wolsey, progressiewe Christen, predikant en skrywer van die inspirerende “Kissing Fish.”

Ons moet ophou leef as tydelike besoekers hier op die ondermaanse – ons beroof onsself met sulke denke. Ons moet ophou leef asof ons huis elders is, ons moet sielvol binne ons menslywe in die hier en nou leef. Dit klink teenstellend, maar ook nie.

Lees self:

“You have heard it said, “We are not humans having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” And, “We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.“And, “You don’t have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.”*

but I tell you,

“Humans are embodied, spiritual beings who are having an embodied, spiritual experience. That’s what a human experience is. We are human souls. We are human-spiritual beings.“

I share this in response to the dualistic – gnosticism that has been so unhelpful over the years. We seem to like/need to think of ourselves as primarily “spiritual” beings who are only accidentally and temporarily earthlings.

… Such views, while no doubt well intended (they do seem to be a morale boost), have resulted in humans thinking that “our real home is in heaven” and thus, we can disregard the earth, abuse its resources, loathe the material world; and even oppress certain fellow humans, and minimize our physicality.

I think Christians are at our best when we focus on salvation/wholeness here and now and not think of ourselves as “just passing through.” We’re incarnate (“enfleshed”) – our bodies are essential to us – and that’s a good thing.  Our spiritual experiences are natural. We experience Spirit as natural beings (enfleshed spiritual beings/souls) can and do.

What do you think? – and by you I mean the beautifully strong, vulnerable, perfectly imperfect embodied spiritual human being who you are.

(* – commonly, but falsely, attributed to CS Lewis. He would never have said that.)

xx – Roger

Rev. Roger Wolsey is an ordained United Methodist pastor who directs the Wesley Foundation at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and is author of Kissing Fish: christianity for people who don’t like christianity

Read more at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/rogerwolsey/2016/03/were-not-just-passing-through/#B6IdX7zDm3lYMeHl.99

 

So binne die konteks verstaan ek as ons kwaad en bang en moedeloos raak. Dis deel van die belewenis as mens-siele hier in ons lywe, aardgebonde, smagtend na ons Vaderhuis.

Dis oukei as die koekiemonster jou laat skrik, gil net in die regte rigting.

Ons Vader luister en wag met oop arms, altyd.