Storage

Time was, storage meant putting boxes and old furniture and non-seasonal clothes in a back closet, the attic or more recently a "self-storage" bay. That was then. Now, storage has to do with the capacity of computers and servers to maintain/keep straight the seemingly limitless flow of information/data/photos/music/videos via the internet. No longer can we rely only on the desktop PC's own memory. Now we're encouraged to subscribe to a web storage service, supposedly guaranteeing the security and permanence of our essential apps and files. I was at a friend's house last night, and he was demonstrating the interconnectedness of the five or so computers in his home, along with the staggering storage capacity of his own external hard drives. And knowing him, and as smart as he is, he probably needs it all!

My own storage needs are a bit more modest. But it's amazing how much stuff one accumulates. I have as much baggage as the next person, physically and emotionally, when you come right down to it. The capacity of the human brain to store and call up an incredible range of information continues to inspire awe, even in the age of computers. But no one pretends today to have access to all the information s/he needs in the mind alone. The Renaissance person of the 18th century would fare well in the 21st, I believe, but most of us these days have our own small corner of experience and expertise. We're specialists, for all practical purposes. We have to rely on the expert advice of others when the issue is outside our realm of daily endeavor, such as financial planning, or business initiatives, or relational issues, or career changes.

Where do we go for deeper understanding on spiritual matters? There are so many "experts" out there, whether on the internet or in our own neighborhood, that it's tough to know what to trust. For me, the most trustworthy approach for dealing with spiritual questions and longing is to develop a relationship with a local community of faith, a church, where people are all engaged in a similar journey with Christ, and where the Scriptures and heartfelt prayer provide guidance, and where the "experts" are just folks.