Spiritually Available

I have two roommates, both poets. J is from Ohio/all over, and M is from upstate New York.  Last night I had a great conversation with M and she said some things that I’m still thinking about and want to write about.

We talked about how we see evidence of God in our lives because of the way we desire to love people (siblingly love, thank you very much) who, to most standards, don’t really require our love. My students, for instance. I find myself praying for love for my students and, so far, God has come through. I really do love my students, even the ones that give me a hard time. I can’t explain it but to say that this love must come from another place.

M and I also talked about mental stability, and how we’ve both struggled with depression a bit. She said that she knows when she’s depressed, or in her head too much and obsessed with negative thoughts, that she’s not spiritually available for other people. That’s why she’s been finding ways to overcome depression (and as far as I know, she’s doing great. She’s in grad school, for one.)

I really like this idea of being “spiritually available to other people.”  Perhaps that is why I made it the title of this blog entry.    No, I think the reason I like it is because it’s definitely something I can’t really define, let alone accomplish.  But I do know what it is; I do know when I’m spiritually available and when I’m not.  I guess a lot of it, in my experience, has had to do with perspective.  This is what I think Jesus is getting at when he’s asking us to love God and Love people. God has been able to clean out my head and help me to see other people, not as broken, necessarily, but on their way to being fixed.

I don’t think that depression is the only thing that can hinder a person’s spiritual abililty.  Right now other things distract me–school pressures, tendency to gossip, etc.  But I was grateful for my conversation with M.  It’s nice to come across people who encourage love and spiritual availability.