Wisdom from The Muppets

The other day my roommate James let me listen to his "The Muppet Show Album." (I recommend you buy it.) The last song on the album, from the movie Muppets in Space, is called I'm Going to go Back There Someday and contains one of the most profound statements I've ever heard:

"There's not a word yet, for old friends who've just met..." -- Gonzo

So incredibly true I think. In fact, it led me to the conclusion that The Muppets, much like life... are all about friendship. Seminary in many ways has been nothing more and nothing less than connecting me to friendships, and teaching me how to trust in those friendships.

Recently, I made a new friend who I feel like I've known all my life, and somehow, I don't have word to describe the friendship. This is a very annoying thing to a poet.

Interior Castles - Where I am today...

"I am not saying that God calls to us directly, as he will do later. For now, his voice reaches to us through words spoken by good people, though listening to spiritual talks, and reading sacred literature. God calls to us in countless little ways all the time. Through illnesses and suffering through sorrow he calls to us. No matter how halfhearted such insights may be. God rejoices whenever we learn what he is trying to teach us.

Don't underestimate this first favor, friends, or be overly saddened if you cannot respond instantaneously to the call of the Beloved. His Majesty has no trouble waiting for many days, even years, especially when he sees that we are persevering and that our desires are good. Perseverence brings great gains.

But the spirit of evil assaults the soul in a thousand ways now and her suffering is deeper than it was before. In the first dwelling she could hear almost nothing, and she resisted less. The soul was a warrior who had lost hope of victory. The intellect has sharpened now and the faculties have grown more skillfull. The clash of arms and explosion of mortar are so intense that the soul cannot help but perceive them. Now the little demons present these serpents -- which are worldly attachments and earthly pleasures -- as if they were abiding realities."

-- "Interior Castles"
Saint Teresa of Avila
(Translated: Mirabei Starr)