In process theology, the divine uses desire to lure us into greater beauty, harmony, and relationship. Desire is the hook for connection, pulling us into hope, love, and deeper into the interconnected web of all existence.
I think of this hook when I smell lilac bushes that draw me to them just as they draw pollinators. I think of this lure when a sunset washes its unearned beauty over the earth and dunks me in awe. I think of it when my heart rushes to some puppy, or baby, or kitten, designed to pull adult caretakers in with their cuteness. I am being lured to do the right thing, hooked into care and awe, nurturing and protecting.
Of course, there are types of desire that cause harm as well, which is not the lure of the divine. It is easy to determine the kind of vine by its fruits, but there is also a different emotional tenor to the kind of desire that causes harm. It feels different than the hook that will create more harmony.
As you live in the glorious Wisconsin summer this July, I wish the harmony hook for you: may you smell the sweetness of flowers; be drawn in to care by puppies and babies and all variety of creatures in need; and be invited to awe by sunsets, the lake, a summer thunderstorm, or an old oak tree.
With love,
Jennifer