We used to just call it hinting around...

(Public Domain)

It seems as though things have taken a turn for the dramatic, especially insofar as language is concerned.  What used to be simply called “hinting around” is now dubbed “dry begging.”

The very phrase “dry begging” conjures up images of extreme hunger and thirst. We’re talking the very bottom of Maslow's pyramid rather than just a fatigued spouse who’d rather not tackle the evening dishes.

In the latter case, one partner might sigh out loud, “Gee, that pillow’s looking mighty inviting…”  The other half then has a choice: He or she can make a beeline for the dishwasher or simply reply, “I’m feeling exhausted myself, how about helping out with this one last act of mercy before diving between the sheets?”

Direct communication can often avert cumulative resentments. When wants or needs are stated calmly and clearly, negotiations can more fairly proceed. “Dry begging” would then be reserved for dire situations that far transcend life’s everyday blips.  

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/love-sex/what-is-dry-begging-in-a-relationship-a-therapist-explains/rk

 

Ex Marks the Spot

(Huastec Sculpture, c. 250-900 CE)

On again, off again, on again, off again…  It’s becoming a THING within certain circling circles.

We’re talking relationships.  Ones that break up only to make up.  Ones that eventually last - only after repeated trials and errors.

Some warn against this, saying: “Your ex is an ex for a reason!” But perhaps the reason is also you.  And perhaps you were brought together in the first place in order to learn from one another’s rough edges.  And perhaps no great thing is ever accomplished without a bunch of persistent tries.

John Lennon declared that karma is sometimes instant.  Although that may seem the case, it’s more likely that what seems instant is only the tip of a long-developing saga.

So buckle up and ride those waves.  Love is more of a slow burn than a hot little number. Some relationships may indeed run their karmic course in a hurry, yet others may need LOTS of practice in order to bear spiritual fruit. 

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/love-sex/inside-the-rise-of-the-circular-relationship/

 

 

When it's your time...

Self-Portrait
(Johann Zoffany, c. 1776)

The very thing that you think will protect you might be the very thing that gets you in the end.

Umbrellas were designed to keep us safe from the sun’s burning rays and the rain’s drenching drops.  They are often attached to outdoor dining tables.

So there was nothing unusual about Dana Weinger’s seating on a restaurant patio overlooking Lake Marion in South Carolina. She and her husband were enjoying an evening meal when a gust of wind suddenly appeared.

It knocked over a nearby umbrella which then struck Dana's ”head and neck area.”  Help arrived soon, but not soon enough.  She was ”pronounced dead at the scene.”

There’s a Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids in Matthew 25 that warns of such occurrences and urges folks to prepare in advance. We’re not talking bullet-proof vests and helmets, we’re talking spiritual “dress rehearsals.” 

Although folks often plan for worldly events, they tend to ignore otherworldly ones.  Death will surely come, we just don’t know when.  An ongoing practice of soul-searching can therefore serve us well when the hourglass empties.

Resources

https://www.iheart.com/content/2026-05-26-patio-umbrella-killed-woman-while-she-was-dining-at-outdoor-restaurant/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Ten_Virgins 

Off-the-Cuff Religion

Starhawk
(Photo by Dedda71)

Pastor Jim Rigby of Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin explains that many “intelligent and compassionate” people colloquially describe religion with terms such as “superstition, hierarchy and… intolerance.”

They could just as well have cited examples of how religionists have uplifted women (Starhawk), children (Mr. Rogers), people of color (Martin Luther King, Jr.), the politically oppressed (Gandhi), and the Earth itself (Sadhguru).

Some on this list might not like being dubbed a "religionist." Some might prefer to be viewed as a spiritual leader.  Yet many religious adherents believe that Spirit is a core component of their faith.  Therefore, it may just come down to semantics.

The word “religion” has been bantered about in so many ways that it’s become somewhat meaningless. Worse yet, it’s become a catch-all term for all that folks dislike most about their own recalled experiences.

If only the scope could be broadened to include a spectrum of best to worst and everything in between.  That could paint a more authentic picture of religion’s many hues.

Resources

Before rejecting religion, let's define what we mean