Have you ever stood at the edge of a lake, looked out, and wondered where the shoreline ends and the trees begin? Have you ever been confused, for a moment, about which direction is up and which is down while looking toward the shoreline and seeing the clouds perfectly reflected on the surface of the water? Nature, in her Wisdom, often confronts us with unclarity and uncertainty. Natural moments such as these remind us that there is “more” to reality than the eye can see. Moments such as these are subtle invitations to befriend ambiguity.
There are times when it would be wise NOT to befriend ambiguity, such as when taking a math exam or obeying traffic laws. However, there are many times when accepting the invitation to befriend ambiguity means to say “yes” to maturity. This is especially true for spiritual development. Early on in our lives, it is helpful and necessary to learn how to see the contrasts of our reality—black is not white; hot is not cold; a bear is not a bush. While the clarity of contrasts can be helpful, it can also be narrow and limiting.
If we do not take off the lens of clarity at times, we might miss sight of the beauty in the moment when we cannot tell where the sunlight ends and the horizon begins; we might not perceive the Mystery of God revealing Self through the sacrament of the natural world. Simply put, we might not be transformed into the New Life that Spirit constantly pulls us toward. Especially in times such as ours, when civic and health issues are already stretching us to our perceived limits, it can be tempting to give into the assurance of clarity, even at the cost of transformation and tightly clenched fists.
As the summer months befall us, I invite you to discern simple ways to respond to the invitation to befriend ambiguity:
- before making a plan, consider at least three options (rather than one or two)
- before solidifying an opinion into a judgment, seek out at least two alternative points of view
- take a trip to a new destination or a walk on a different path than your usual one
- try asking open-ended questions rather than yes-no ones
- ask God to reveal Godself to you in ways that you haven’t noticed before
