En-soul-ment is what?

The soul as I see it

The soul begins as the brain develops in recognizing and appreciating our relationships to one another. The newborn reaches for others, seeks support and comfort, seeks relationship. The infant seeks not only milk from the mother but touches and caresses the warm breast, seeks the touch of hands and shoulders of women and men, seeks caressing and glories in it. The infant seeks the comfort of the release of air trapped until burping. The infant perks up at songs and laughter from others. The infant smiles and coos, expressing joy. And the infant cries in pain and with desire. In all these acts the growing infant is reaching out and relating and the soul develops.

I remember my wife grabbing my hand to feel the "kicking" within — muscles and nerves developing and knitting together. After birth he reached out to touch, caress, hold; with his feet to crawl, walk, run. The automatic developing of the body was now the self driven lively, exploring, relating person and soul who laughed, cried, eyes dancing.

Our souls are an intimate part of our selves, our thoughts, our dreams, that is part of our beautifully developing minds and relationships. So we may say "a generous soul." The idea that the soul is some immortal other that enters a zygote of sperm and egg does not fit with what we see as newborns and infants develop! Everything that we imagine about the soul is the brain and self at work.

The soul is the creative that is part of our sensitive, social self. The soul is the sense of awe and wonder growing as the youngster sees plants grow, lightning blaze across the sky, hears music that stirs, explores the ability to use colors to create beauty, mud to create shapes, and feet to dance. Work with each child to recognize these moments of awe to reflect on them and glory in them.

The soul is all of these feelings of reaching and seeking for others, and enjoying being with others and interacting. The soul is the depth of character developing — growing feelings and thinking. The soul develops within and with others. I hope that the growing child may seek and reach for Another — the "Ground of our Being" — who supports us with Almighty Care and Grace that is experienced by the child learning trust in parents and adults who care deeply for the growing child.

And at death the Apostle Paul wrote this mind-self-soul is transformed.