It takes a village to get this column to you

Lutheran, The, May 2002 by Brussat, Frederic, Brussat, Mary Ann

Spiritual Practices

We're grateful to all who lend a hand

Gratitude," said Martin Luther, "is the basic Christian attitude." We agree. But beyond saying prayers before meals and an occasional thank you for a service provided, how can gratitude color all aspects of our everyday lives?

In a recent book on the Japanese art of self-reflection, Naikan (Stone Bridge Press), Gregg Krech suggests that we begin by asking: "What did I receive from others today?"

We decided to apply this question to all that is involved in getting this column to you. Once we started, we were amazed not only at how many steps are involved but also in how many gifts come to us along the way. Here is just a sampling.

* The column begins in Fred's office, where he keeps many binders filled with quotations copied from his reading. Thank you, Dale Turner, for pointing out Martin Luther's comment.

* Fred writes the first draft in long-- hand. He's partial to Pilot Precise Extra Fine Rolling Ball pens. We thank the staff of City Stationers, an independent store two blocks away, for keeping them in stock.

* The paper he writes on comes from the same store, but it had a long prior journey. We are grateful to the paper distributor, manufacturer, loggers and tree it came from-and also to the sun, soil and water that created the tree. And to God the Creator of all things.

* Computers are another source of immense gratitude. What a difference these technological wonders have made in how we write. As Mary Ann adds her ideas to the column and edits what Fred wrote, she's especially appreciative of the copy, cut, paste, delete and backspace functions.

* Once the column is polished, Mary Ann e-mails it to our editor, Kathy Kastilahn, at The Lutheran. It boggles the mind to consider how many people help make that transfer possible: our Internet service providers, our neighbor's hardware company that set us up with highspeed access, the programmers of the e-mail programs.

* In Chicago the column makes its way around the magazine's office, and we receive the gifts of expertise, enthusiasm and, sometimes, criticism from the staff. Kathy reads it first and does an initial edit. She sends it to Andrea Pohlmann, the copy editor, who puts it into QuarkXPress (thanks once again to computer programmers) and creates galleys, which go back to Kathy and to David Miller, the magazine's editor. Kathy calls us if we need to clarify or change anything.

* No column would be complete without art. That gift comes through Mike Watson, art director, who designs the page. The photo or drawing that complements our writing produces another stream of gratitudes. Some months we are grateful to Mike and his camera for the perfect image. Other times we might be thankful for an illustrator or the Photodisc company that offers a choice of many photographs.

* After another round of reading by Kathy and Andrea, plus Liz Hunter, another editor, and Sonia Solomonson, the managing editor, the corrected page goes onto a CD. A driver from the printer, Quad/Graphics in Wisconsin, picks up the disk, and now another whole group of people become involved in printing, binding and mailing the magazine. They in turn rely on a legion of paper and ink suppliers, equipment manufacturers and, of course, the U.S. Postal Service.

* Meanwhile, back in Chicago, Lorel Fox and Amber Leberman prepare the page for the Web at www.the lutheran.org. We thank them, too, for making it possible for people all over the world to read the column.

This is what we receive from others for just this one column. We encourage you to try this simple, but incredibly deep, spiritual practice. Take some activity you do-preparing a meal, entertaining friends, sending a card-- and trace the lines of your gratitude all the way to God.

The Brussats are the authors of Spiritual Rx: Prescriptions for Living a Meaningful Life, now available in paperback (Hyperion 2001). They welcome your comments on your experiences with spiritual practices. E-mail to brussat@spiritlrx.com.