I had breakfast this morning with one of our organists, the youngest and perhaps most musically accomplished of the five musicians we rotate through. This young man, at age 28, supports himself and his young family (wife, adorable son who has the same first name as mine) as a musician!

He sent me an e-mail requesting a chat back during that pretty rotten week, and we set the time for this morning. He gave me a sketchy idea of what he wanted to talk about, but what he said left plenty of space for almost anything of a religious nature.

He showed up 25 minutes late, just as I was beginning to pack up my laptop to leave. I'm glad I was still there.

The bottom line: this young man has been searching for religious meaning in his life, for a path to the Divine. He has found it. It is not through Christianity, but through Buddhism.

I am so impressed with his journey, the way he has sought what is true and meaningful and divine in his life. I suppose I am supposed to feel a loss, as if we lost one to the "other team" but what I feel instead is closer to this person who has shared with me a sacred story.

In the end, I had to wish him blessings on his journey, and leave the relationship open, not as pastor/congregant, but as fellow seekers on a spiritual quest.

I did tell him however, that we will be removing him from the church rolls. I don't want to show up in the Layman!