Scribd
Upload
45 views

When An Experience Is A Lived Experience

One common characteristic of an experience is that we gain an “understanding of” if not a “knowledge of.”

Uploaded by

Francis Anthony S. Demol
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
45 views

When An Experience Is A Lived Experience

One common characteristic of an experience is that we gain an “understanding of” if not a “knowledge of.”

Uploaded by

Francis Anthony S. Demol
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

When an experience is a lived experience…

All along my Silsilah journey last summer (2017), I thought the path that I’m going to trava il
was the realm of concepts embracing the different points of convergence between Muslim s
and Christians. I thought I will be engaged in the “world of abstracts,” academic. With the
notable and well-respected speakers, I was challenged to really get a good grasp of their
ideas. Yet, all of these thoughts, though needless to say were helpful to understand various
beliefs and practices, all of a sudden fell when I, as a Christian, was in the midst of the
situation with my assigned Muslim foster parents and community. It became not just an
“experience” but a “lived experience.”

One common characteristic of an experience is that we gain an “understanding of” if not a


“knowledge of.” Perhaps, it is something that we are all inclined to because of our desire to
learn. Indeed, living in various communities where existence of extreme poverty, injustice,
and other social issues, as if the latter was just an ordinary occurrence, taught me a lot
especially with my dialogue with them. In the course of dialogue, I was told by my foster
families how they managed to survive from scarcity. Some shared their difficulty to establish
a real home due to relocation issues. I have heard their individual strategies in starting anew
from the gruesome effects of war. From these conditions, I became the witness of their
clamors and disappointments. It was, thus, an experience!

Beyond the situation and condition, however, that beset these people, quite astounding and
shocking were the unwavering faith, the infinite hope and the genuine smiles that I could see
in their faces. Despite poverty, they are rich in generosity. Despite seeming injustice, they
give what is due. Despite war’s effects, they instill love. Despite discriminations, they show
tolerance and respect. It was as if these people were just accustomed to the realities that
they were all in. Yet, this was not the case. Their problems did not impair them to be more
faithful to God and enjoy life. They went beyond the borders of life’s negativities. This
experience was a different kind of dialogue, a non-verbal one. It was, thus, a lived experience
to be celebrated!

When an experience is a lived experience that true dialogue emerges. This was the lesson
that I got from my experiences with the Silsilah Dialogue Movement with their community
partners, Christians and Muslims. There I realized that economic strife and life’s situations
are not enough reasons to detach ourselves from others. Religion, furthermore, should never
become a barrier for us to unite with other faith beliefs. Instead, life’s realities and spirituality
should be a bridge for us to be all-embracing and become proactive in the path to peace and
oneness. Every experience, then, is an invitation for all of us to be one with others and with
our God.

“When an experience is a lived experience that true dialogue emerges” opens a new horizon
that no true dialogue shall exist if we do not have the capacity to go beyond ordinary
conversation or encounter. It is not just to converse and accommodate each other’s thought.
It should be a dialogue that brings and ushers us to appreciate the beauty and the inherent
goodness of each one. It should be a dialogue where sincerity of hearts is present. It should
be a dialogue where we see the face of God despite individual limitations. This what true
dialogue is – that, from an ordinary experience, there is an assent. It is an assent that will
bring us back to the origin of dialogue. Indeed, it is true that “Dialogue starts from God and
brings people back to God.”

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy