For anybody who knows me, the title of my blog is much more than a few cliche lyrics from U2. I was introduced to the amazingness of U2 about a year and a half ago (i was a little late on the bandwagon...) at a conference called jubilee. You can find out more about Jubilee conference on the website. I became absolutely captivated by the journey the group has gone through both politically and spiritually, and came to understand the deeper meaning of a lot of their songs. I challenge any U2 fan to find out what they're really all about if you haven't already. I promise you'll come to love them even more.
Anyway, I chose this line as the title for my blog for two reasons:
1) This song was written in U2's earlier years when the group was not only searching for their own sound as a band, but also when they were coming to understand faith and spirituality more deeply. The lyrics talk about a journey - that of faith. That's exactly what I find life and faith to be, not an end but rather the journey. The past five years have been quite a journey for me, and I expect the next 5 will be no different.
2) Another very important part of my life is understanding of communities and leadership. I've been a part of a lot of different communities (from the residence halls to sports teams and from sororities to communities of faith both at school and in the backwoods of wyoming) and have had a chance to engage in leadership in all of them. But there's always something missing, be it a lack of trust, openness, cohesion, or even collective risk-taking. Communities and leadership are intricately integrated, for nobody can be a leader in and of themselves. So essentially what I'm still looking for is understanding of and experience with better communities and better leadership. What does that even mean? Does it mean different things to different people or different cultures? If you are willing to risk complacency and comfort for the understanding of the full potential of people in community, then I invite you to join me in my search.
1 comment:
It may be a little weird to have a post from your Dad be the first on your new blog. I hope you don't mind...
It's great to see you beginning your blog for what I'm sure will be an incredible journey - discovering Qatar, discovering community and leadership, discovering a world that we all need to understand... My premonition is that you will experience profound encounters with different kinds of community and leadership that you've never seen before. Seeing them will allow you to uncover deeper meanings that will guide much of the rest of your life.
You know that I'm seeking to understand community and leadership as well. It's hard because it seems that I should have been able to figure it out by now. However, everytime I think I've got it, I lose it soon after. The good part is that each time I come a little closer to the real thing.
I look forward to sharing in your discoveries.
Love,
Dad
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