COLUMN: Grey Matters – Where did meaning go?

“We urgently need people who concentrate on the meaning of life rather than simply the speed, the mechanization, the computerization of it.” Joan Chittister, 2008.

Welcome to the first edition of ‘Grey Matters’! I’m your host writer, Gary Dyck. Previously I wrote a Carillon column as the executive director at Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV). Currently I’m a chaplain (spiritual care provider) at a hospital and a personal care home (PCH). I’m seeing a dearth in the cultural and spiritual understanding that girds people in a time of change and loss. My hope with this column is that we can collectively find wisdom again for our generation. Wisdom often requires that we can see things from more than one angle. Rather than seeing things as black and white, many topics such as living faith in the world, psychology of the human brain and heart, and aging well are more complex. Hence the name ‘Grey Matters’.

The quotation above from Sister Joan Chittister has only become more applicable in recent years. With the rise of AI in our society, even the value of our work is at risk of being replaced. Our search for meaning is about to become more acute. Let’s first retrace our steps and figure out how we got here.

‘Loss of meaning’ became widespread beginning in the Enlightenment era when scientific rationalization became dominant. This then led to diminished emotional and spiritual value in everyday life which we now see in the modern era. With globalization, cultural narratives and traditions also became less central in people’s lives. It could be we are now experiencing what German philosopher Nietzsche warned the Western world when he declared in 1882 that ‘God is dead’.

Who are we when we don’t have something that we produce and manage? In times of chaos, struggle and loss of control it’s good to go back to the basics. To focus on the quality of life over performance and quantity of life. It seems that our relationships with others and God is the main context to find meaning. If so, it is better to work at being in good relationship rather than focusing on just what we do at work. The sooner we can realize that productivity is not the main thing, the better we will all be for it. What are we when we are not doing, but being? Being curious, being caring, being reflective, being spiritual, being in good relationships. This is where Self returns home and God comes alive.

We need an over-arching narrative and common frames of reference that shelter us when our world no longer makes sense. We need community that supports us through the good and hard times. Our lives matter to God and to others. It is time to be enriched by sacred relationships, to know God’s perspective toward us and insight for the world we are trying to navigate. The same world that until now has been telling us that our value comes from our work, wealth and titles. What happened to intrinsic meaning and seeking wisdom? Culture, faith, and the older generations have a great deal to give us. I hope you keep reading.

Gary Dyck is a chaplain and spiritual health provider at a hospital and personal care home in the Southeast.