Today I did something I haven't done for nearly a year and a half: I took a chalice at Holy Communion, brought it to my lips, and drank from it. Don't worry: it wasn't wine. It was grape juice. What follows is a reflection from my own perspective: deacon, psychotherapist, lifelong participant in Protestant churches (Lutheran and Episcopal), and alcoholic. (I also studied sacramental theology about four years ago, and I read things, but don't expect the latest in the field here: this is just me sharing some of my experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Note also that I take to heart a line from page 103 of the Big Book of AA: "...we have stopped fighting anybody or anything. We have to!" This is not a manifesto, an argument, or the last word on anything. Take it or leave it.)
What's Happening?
When I worked as a psychotherapist, I often began sessions by asking the client, "What's happening?" I didn't want to ask "How's it going?" or "How are you?" because those questions are not really questions as much as informal ways to say hello. I wanted *content*. I wanted to know what was really going on in my clients' lives. This blog is where I'll post updates on my life, and share a few posts that don't easily fit into a specific category: reflections on religion, spirituality, and recovery; updates and insights from my life as a fitness enthusiast; ideas and stories that I find interesting.