Fifth in a series of reflections on the questions posed in The Web of Meaning by Jeremy Lent, Prairiewoods’ Spirituality in the 21st Century facilitator, April 28–29, 2023
“I am here to weave my unique strand into the web of meaning.”
—Jeremy Lent, The Web of Meaning
Last week I attended the presentation of The Million Dollar Quartet at CSPS. It’s the story of the day/evening Sam Phillips of Sun Records in Memphis brought Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash together for a sort of reunion. As I thought about the story, listened to the music—selections made famous by each of the four individuals—the awareness of a sense of purpose seemed to come into focus. Each of these very gifted musicians individually recorded songs because they loved to sing and to “make a living”—which was important. It was also clear that each one had a deep and complex relationship with Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Records. They all responded to Sam’s invitation to come together, and by doing so they entered into a purpose beyond making a living. Each contributed his talent to each other’s songs that evening. The music was not about recording songs, it was about contributing to the music of the moment and giving the best they had to the music and to each other. Even from these actors the energy of relationship took me to that deep place within myself that calls me to wholeness. Where I recognize I am part of all of creation and my purpose is to give who I am—my being, my skills, my love, my compassion—and without this commitment to being, the whole is diminished a bit.
These four musicians made choices in order to live, and this culture tells us that as individuals we must strive to be a success. I’m wondering if by focusing on the individual we have not recognized the “success” that happens when we strive to be the best we can as one part of the whole rather than as one individual. Maybe we have another step to take in our human development—that of weaving ourselves into the fabric of life—not separating ourselves. Maybe the strengthening of the whole will result in each one of us being free to live our giftedness. And then, what if we realized that each sentient being is free to do the same thing—to live into the giftedness?
“Why am I” seems to me to be the call to give myself to the whole of creation and therefore to offer my part in opening the culture so all beings have this same freedom. My purpose is to be open—open to being one part of the whole, open to all the relationships, open to honoring all the other parts of the whole, open to myself. I am pretty sure I experienced, one evening, what happens when one says “yes” to being open. The young men in the Million Dollar Quartet—for that moment in time—said “yes” to the relationships and the synergy of each giving of themselves co-created something beyond what any of them could have planned. I want more of these experiences. I want to co-create these kinds of experiences and to go deeper. This is why I am.
—Ellen Bruckner
image from Bradford Timeline on flickr
Jeremy Lent is Prairiewoods’ Spirituality in the 21st Century presenter April 28–29, 2023. His book The Web of Meaning is broken down into six parts: Who Am I?, Where Am I?, What Am I?, How Should I Live?, Why Am I? and Where Are We Going? Ellen Bruckner’s blog series focuses on these six topics. To join us for Spirituality in the 21st Century, visit www.Prairiewoods.org/spirituality-in-the-21st-century.