“When I worked in retreat ministry, we used to draw the infinity sign to illustrate a pattern in spiritual growth. When you lead a healthy spiritual life, the journey inward, represented by one loop, counterbalances the journey outward, represented by the second. The journey inward is silence, prayer, reflection, receptivity— what happens when we withdraw from society to attend to the still, small voice within. The journey outward is service, relationship, and community— our interaction with others and the environment. In reality the two journeys blur, but the image of the infinity sign’s balancing of internal and external work can help keep unhealthy tendencies in check. If teaching and volunteer work cram my every moment, I know it's time to step back. If meditation dominates my day to the detriment of relationships, I know it's time to step forward.
The writing journey traces a similar path for a good while we move through an interior realm of memories and reflection; we withdraw from our busy lives to enhance our insights and craft stories. Then, at some point, the fruits of the process are too ripe to remain private. These fruits are twofold— the completed story and what has become of the self as the result of writing. Both press us to leave our safe confines for the dangerous, connective, and gift-giving realm of community.”