Gravity Commons Podcast Jeff Crosby: Meeting God in the Longings of Our Heart
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Jun 6, 2023 Jeff Crosby, author and publishing executive who explores language and longing, joins to trace how deep desires shape faith. He discusses saudade as a frame for yearning. Short reflections cover roots of desire, meaningful work as service, befriending anxious longings through spiritual practices, and how music guided his book’s structure.
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Saudade As A Framing Lens
- The Portuguese word saudade captures a deep, often untranslatable longing that opens a new window on desire.
- Jeff Crosby used saudade as a framing lens to explore longings beyond the English word "longing."
Jazz Records Sparked A 15-Year Project
- Jeff traces his interest in saudade to hearing it on Bossa Nova and Fado records and being curious about unfamiliar words.
- Conversations with his Brazilian friend Joe Keene deepened the idea and shaped the book over years.
Both Timeless And Timely Longings
- Longings are both archetypal and shaped by our present culture; some desires are hardwired while others deepen in modern life.
- Jeff connects innate longings (friendship, home) with contemporary pressures like pandemic anxiety and social fragmentation.
