Hello! Here’s what fell out of my pencil today.

Hello, world! For those of you not clued in to the world of computer science and programming, the phrase “Hello, World!” is a well-worn trope – a meme, if you will – used as a default text when first teaching students how to output text to the display using various programming commands in their language of choice. It’s kind of cool, because no matter what language you’re learning, you will most likely encounter a tutorial with this exact text (or some close variant).

For me, a “spiritual seeker” who believes in a higher power but does not subscribe to any single religion, I see a parallel in all these different languages, with widely differing syntaxes, conventions, even actual cultures – pointing back to the same unifying, welcoming message: Hello, world!

Now I’m going to commit a random act of Sanskrit:

[see image for Sanskrit]

I encountered a similar line of thought recently, while studying Vedantic philosophy. This verse is from a text called the Bhaja Govindam. It talks about how, though there are multiple branches, each may be equally valid when seeking higher truth and divinity.

I have found words of wisdom in my journeys across many different religions. I don’t call any of them my own, but I keep an open mind, open eyes, and an open heart. I’m certainly not one who knows better than anyone else. I’ve accepted my role in this life as the archetypal seeker … won’t get to get what I’m after ’til the day I die.

I think I may start writing letters to people again. Especially once I have my typewriter crankin’. I’m fed up with digital-only communication. I miss penpals and getting mail that isn’t just bills and marketing materials.

Let me know if you’re interested. Maybe we can make letter-writing a thing again. The Internet isn’t the only method we humans have devised to human connection. Hey, maybe we can even exchange books or something? Looks like I’m out of space - hope you all have a great evening.

— Jared Caraway​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​