Howdy.

When I returned home after 45 days of Marine Corps. Boot Camp, driving a car was fairly awkward. I never rode in a vehicle of any sort while on the “island” because we walked, marched, or ran everywhere. Upon my return to civilian life, driving anywhere within a five-mile radius suddenly became odd and superfluous.

Now that I’ve existed without blogging or social networking for these last 40 days, I feel the same way about them as well.

For those of you who may have missed the last post and the impetus for my Lenten observance, here’s the quick and dirty.

Ego.

That’s right. Having completed a full year of religious immersion, the notion of de facto expertise slipped within the cracks of my blog posts and Congregation page updates. I never intended this. I have no need for an obese ego–especially given my past.

But there is more. The end of the Project Conversion year represented a collapse in my personal universe. No structure, no rules, no specific religion to live by…who/what/where was I? I took a shot at describing this, but it didn’t translate well to others and I regret losing good friends over the confusion. Honestly, I should have taken this 40 day fast on January 1st to get my bearings before uttering one syllable to anyone.

Life is about experience and the courage to embrace the appropriate evolution. Better late than never.

So where do I stand today having traveled “into the desert?” Many wonderful and challenging events blessed my time in the wilderness. Here are just a few:

My family finally met Meeta Gajjar Parker, the daughter and partner of my late Hindu Mentor, Mr. Bharat Gajjar.

Unfortunately, I never met Meeta’s father. He died shortly after my time as his Hindu student in January. This man literally introduced yoga to the state of Delaware and had many students of the Eternal Dharma. Listening to Meeta as she regaled us with stories of his humble yet exceptional life was amazing. Thank you Mentor Meeta and Frank for your visit.

I had the opportunity and honor of sharing my Project Conversion experience with the Unitarian Universalist congregation of Silver Spring, MD. This was a great time as I’d never set foot in an UU church before. I am grateful for the warm welcome and the enthusiastic discussion we held after the presentation.

The birth of Still Faith, a photo blog for my spiritual adventures. Heather purchased a new camera for me (and yes, the family too) and it’s served as my darshan practice ever since. Darshan is a practice within the spiritual traditions of the Indian subcontinent in which one sees the divine in a murti (graven image of a deity) or even in the presence of other life and objects. For me, capturing photos in nature and in the candid religious experience of others is soothing. There was no pressure for content; just my own private practice. The experience is liberating.

I observed various religious holy days without the pressure of creating a blog post about them. In other words, I enjoyed them for their own sake. Nawruz, Pesach, the various Christian holy days (including Palm Sunday, Easter, and a live dramatization of the Stations of the Cross), a full moon or two (hey there, Lady), and Ostara (the Spring Equinox celebrated on the Wheel of the Year). I also spent time at the river with reckless abandon.

I fasted. Time in the desert of our lives means separation from that which you’re most comfortable. This was a time for clarity, a time for answers, a time for deconstruction. Some days were more difficult than others. Some days were euphoric. We’ll explore this more fully in the days to come.

Time away from social media and the blog also meant greater focus on the book. I’m happy to report that I will finish the first draft of the book chronicling last year’s experience this week. Who knows where this will take us.

As for clarity…the realization and articulation of my purpose, dharma, and destiny came into stark focus during the Easter service at my wife’s church. This was a culmination of many events over these last 40 days and I’m so grateful for this vision for my personal life. As I said, I should have done this on January 1st, but we live and learn, do we not?

Religion is often a journey not concerned with a known destination. What matters is that you’re willing to take one step at a time.

I’ve missed you all so very much. I hope you’ve witnessed great blessings during my absence, and I look forward to our continued adventures together.

Jai Vita!