To start my sabbatical, I got out of town for a week. I needed to slow my internal pace, and a change of scenery seemed like a good way to start.
When I told friends I was heading to Portland, they lit up—until I clarified: Oregon, not Maine. They didn’t say anything outright, but their faces said it all: Why would you go there? You won’t find what you’re looking for in that place.
Well, just for the record, I did. But this reflection isn’t about the merits of the Pacific Northwest. It’s about the spiritual destinations we set our hearts on—and whether they can truly satisfy us.
As I’ve discussed throughout this series, a holy longing animates our lives. We’re all on a path toward something we believe will make life meaningful in an enduring way.
