Unveiling a fragile spirituality: Experiences of connectedness in pediatric palliative care

Transcending Interpretations of Real Life Events: encountering Fragile Spirituality 121
it demands courage. The paradox of life is that in accepting the anxiety of nonbeing, we
can find ‘an’ or ‘the’ ultimate ground of being. Looking anxiety in the face, sometimes
under pressure of circumstances, we find ourselves, each other and the ultimate or “God
who appears when God has disappeared in the anxiety of doubt” (Tillich, 1952/ 2014, p.
175). Nevertheless we need not per se interpret this ultimate ground of being as God.
We can construe an expression of our own. Despite the experience of meaninglessness,
meaning can be found in the “And Yet” that is apparently part of the human existential
potential. This “And Yet” is the very notion of fragmentary, fragile spirituality expressed
in the midst of anguish and loss.
Both in a secular and a religious setting this approach enables the personal construction
of meaning of what is of ultimate concern, including the experience of lasting connectedness
to loved ones.
CONCLUSION
In this article we highlighted a specific expression of spirituality encountered in many
stories, even if the narrator lacks affiliation to spirituality. Modern belief may include life
experiences with special meaning of connectedness to whom or what is beyond reality.
We call these experiences examples of a fragile spirituality because of their momentary,
fragmentary character, their lack of a meaningful frame of reference and of a community
to share them with. The fragility also refers to their precious value for the ones involved.
This type of implicit spirituality is experienced for instance in a lasting connectedness
to a deceased loved one, like one’s child. Further reflection on this spirituality may help
modern people in a secular age to find some embeddedness that makes the experience
less fragile.
Theology that is open to reflect on personal interpretations of both transcendent and
immanent experiences concerning life and death, will contribute to new understanding
of lived spirituality, both in theory and practice.