That day was one long monochrome moment. Sunrise to sunset: fire, ocean, sky, surf, sand. Coffee, beer, and chocolate covered peanuts were our monastic sustenance. I have never paid more attention to the nuances of one view in my life. That frame of view seared into deep memory: a visio divina.

There is an idea from Lutheran theology about the things that don’t matter— adiaphora—which is Greek for “indifferent things.” I think about this phrase a lot, and use it to filter whether I should give a damn or not about the things that everyone else is all frothed up over.

Technically, adiaphora are all the matters that aren’t essential to faith, and are therefore neither good nor bad. This opens up most beliefs and practices to the realm of adiaphora. Let folks do this or don’t do that, think about that idea or be ignorant, say their peace or be silent. It don’t matter.