Last Word

        "Do you believe in ghosts?"

"No."

"No?"

"Well, pretty much no."

"What about spirits?"

"Define spirits."

"A presence. A feeling. An inclination."

"Related to spiritual?"

"Well, Most likely, don't you agree?"

"Well, possibly etymologically related."

"For sure."

"So, if 'spiritual' is real--an adjective describing a genuine, as in real, feeling, then it follows that spirit must be real, and if spirit is real, spirit, a noun which can be made plural, then spirits are also real."

"Is that what you think?"

"Well, logically, it follows."

"Yes. So?"

"So, have you experienced the spiritual?"

"Define 'spiritual.'"

"'Of, relating to, consisting of, or affecting, the spirit.'"

"Not helpful, if you use a variation of the word to define it."

"What about 'of or related to sacred matters?'"

"Better. But then, define the singular 'spirit' for me please, Ms. Webster."

"'An animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms.'"

"Hmmm. You googled it, didn't you?"

"So what?"

"But what is it? A feeling? If it is just a feeling, then it's not real, not temporal. You can't touch it or see it, so it's not really there."

"Like sadness."

"Huh?"

"You can't touch sadness, so it's not real. Is that what you're saying?"

"Well, you can pass it on."

"Like catsup?"

She laughs. Nods. "Yes, not physically like passing the catsup, but if you ask me why I'm sad, then you might feel sad too."

"Not always."

"Well, I don't always pass the catsup, either, but it is probable that if you pass the catsup, I will receive it--just as it is possible to pass a feeling on by sharing it. I tell you my sad . . ."

"Or spiritual..."

"....story, and then we both feel sad."

"But, I know what it is to feel sad and you know what it is to feel sad. Happens all the time. Sadness is a common, everyday feeling. But spiritual is different, harder."

"Exactly! But that doesn't mean its not there."

He throws up his hands, ready to be done with the conversation, but determined to have the last word. "Why don't you always pass the catsup?"