The New Sacred

Don C. Davis is a storyteller, who through seven fiction books, defines new beginnings beyond old endings for the digital-information-molecular age; stories of,

- a partnership of science, technology, and a knowledge-based faith,

- world citizenship defined by ten universal qualities,

- a vision of the new sacred,

- linked under the overall title of A PLACE IN THE STORY.

The New Sacred: Measuring for Success is book number seven.

Chapter One

The New Venture

“Good morning, Dr. Logan,” Steve said, when Dr. Logan answered the phone up on Eagles View Mountain,  “I hope all is well up at Look Beyond cottage.”  

“Good morning, Steve.  Yes, all is well, but very quiet up here.  Good to hear from you.”

“You are always so cordial and open that I have a question.  Could Sandra and I come up to meet with you a little while today?”

“Of course,” Dr. Logan said immediately.  “I am always pleased to have you come up here.”

“Thanks,” Steve replied.  “Let me explain just a little.  While there is never one place for an idea to originate and grow, your place up there has been a place where the dreams for the World Citizen Center began to be blended into reality.  I have some ideas I would like to share which represent a new phase in that dream.  So, could you suggest a time we could come up that would align with your schedule?”

“Schedule,” Dr. Logan responded in a light manner, “I have very little schedule when I am up here.  That’s on purpose, of course.  But would around lunch time be all right for the two of you?

And, let’s see now.  We often have lunch when we meet up here.  So, could you stop by the Home at Home Restaurant and get some lunch?  No.  Wait.  On second thought, reverse that.  I want to see if you like the kind of lunch I sometimes put together.  And you don’t have to imagine that I will spend a lot of time cooking this morning.  In fact, the kind of lunch I create doesn’t have to be cooked.  It’s put together.  

Let me explain.  As for this little lunch, because of my interest in how the brain works when we provide it with its best energy source, I have begun to focus on the foods that provide the brain with its best nourishment.  Out of that interest, my mind was magnetized and drawn to a special book by a medical doctor, Dr. Neal Barnard, entitled Power Food For The Brain.  I read it with great interest and took his advice seriously.  Dr. Barnard believes that eating mostly fruits and vegetables, as our source of nourishment for the body, will also result in better energy for the brain.  As for the brain part, I am not sure yet, but what I discovered almost immediately was that I felt better by eating just the kind of lunch I will prepare for us today.  

Needless to say, I like the simplicity of it.  Once you make this approach to food, then you really don’t like the meat based menus that fast foods, and even the best restaurants, provide.  Of course, there is also an environmental factor.  Meat based foods have such a detrimental effect on our environment that I could almost be a vegetarian.  I am not, but I like the idea, and I like the simplicity of this approach.  Of course, it is not a standard for all meals, but I hope you like my little lunch.   We’ll see.  So, just come on up.  Glad to have you.  It can get a bit lonely up here.”    

When Steve and Sandra arrived they were welcomed, and as soon as they were inside the great room, Dr. Logan said, “I don’t know the full extent of what you want talk about, but maybe we could go ahead with lunch and talk about it while we eat.  You are at home up here, so go on over to the refrigerator and get a bottle of water, or a little bottle of V-8, and one of those little clear plastic boxes in there that I have prepared and we can go out on the deck for lunch.

As soon as they sat down Dr. Logan asked immediately, “How’s the center doing?”

“I think the center is doing fine,” Steve said.  “I like what Sandra says about the impact of the center.  Let her sum it up.”

Sandra spoke quickly and with enthusiasm.  “The linkage with the church has done something great for the church.  Attendance is up and membership is growing.  But that is not the main measure.  Having that center as an extension of our identity has energized the environment here, so every program of the church seems to have a new sense that our mission is to help all us become successful as world citizens right here in our own story.”