The beginning of June marked three years since I started writing Spirit Matters.

During that time, I have received a great deal of feedback from many of you, and I am deeply grateful for that.

I appreciate you taking the time to read my sometimes rambling thoughts, and I am touched that some of the things I have to say touch you.

As I've spoken to some of you, a common question is, "Where do you come up with your subject matter?"

That's a good question.

My goal in writing this column each week is to get down to the marrow of our existence through looking at the world around us and the experiences we each have, to find that which unites us as humans walking together on this planet.

Sometimes that takes the form of reflections based on my own religious background, with the hope that even for those of you who might come from a different background than I can somehow find something to relate to through my stories.

Other times my observations derive from personal experiences. For example, I know I've written about the death of my dad and the aftermath ad nauseum. For those of you who yawn when you see yet another column about that, I am sorry.

Still, grief is something to which we can all relate. And as I have navigated the strange terrain I've encountered after losing a parent, I trust that perhaps you can find some comfort through my experience as well.

I can't say I have a checklist of ideas written down about which to write. Sometimes, I wish I did, as I worry that what I say from week to week is too repetitive. The way I see it, when you are writing about spiritual topics, the world is your oyster. There is no limit to finding a spiritual meaning in any encounter or experience we may have. To that end, the more life experience you have, the better. And I must admit in the whole scheme of things, I don't have much.

Still, my passion is spirituality. And for me, most of that spirituality has been discovered and lived within the Catholic tradition. It is what informs me, but I know and I appreciate and I long for finding common ground among all of us, insofar as that is possible. Which is why I am also greatly edified by prayers and practices of people in other traditions.

It is not any one particular religion or faith tradition I am tied to as much as it is the Breath that underlies them all.

I look forward to continuing to write this column each week and in doing so, evolving spiritually and drawing closer with each of you to the Ultimate Reality through whom we live and move and have our being.

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SPIRIT MATTERS: Spiritually, the world is our oyster - MyWebTimes.com