By George Norwood
Bill and Sue had always been close — the kind of couple others quietly admired. Their bond was deep, layered with laughter, shared values, and a quiet ease. They didn’t always agree on everything, but they didn’t need to. Sue was more open-minded, curious about life’s mysteries, while Bill was more grounded, practical. It worked. Until it didn’t.
It began with a church class Bill had been invited to — a group studying the Bible “as the only true Word of God.” The leader’s voice was deep and captivating, with a hypnotic rhythm that seemed to echo like ancient thunder. The songs were emotional and repetitive, drawing everyone into a feeling of spiritual purity. Bill didn’t just enjoy the experience — he became convinced.
When he came home glowing, Sue was hopeful — until she heard the words.
“This is it,” Bill said, eyes wide. “This is the truth. It’s all in the Bible. Everything else is noise.”
Sue blinked, caught off guard. “Wait — are you saying everything we’ve explored together… all of it was just noise to you now?”
Bill nodded. “God's Word is the only real truth. You need to come with me.”
But something in her heart froze. She had never seen him so sure, so shut off. She had always loved the way they explored truth together — but this wasn’t exploration. It was entrapment. She refused to go. And when she said, “It feels like hogwash,” something broke between them. Bill pulled away, stunned and hurt.
The next days were agony.
Bill thought he was saving her. Sue felt like she was losing the man she loved. They still slept in the same bed, but the silence between them grew deafening. She cried. He prayed. Nothing reached across the gap that kept widening.
Finally, trembling, Sue said, “We need help. We can’t go on like this. Either we talk to someone, or I don’t know what happens next.”
Bill hesitated, then agreed. Deep down, something inside him had started to doubt. They had trouble finding someone to talk to. They needed someone good, who was themselves not dogmatic. After about a month feeling hurt one of Sue's friends recommend Zim. It turns out Zim seemed like someone that could understand both of them. Zim was a licensed psychologist, who had a liberal background, taught meditation classes calm and as it turned out a student of Michael A. Singer which some called "a post new age guru".
From the beginning, Zim wasn’t confrontational. He didn’t attack Bill’s beliefs. He didn’t try to fix anything. He simply invited both of them to look — to really look.
“You say the Bible is the only truth,” Zim said to Bill. “And I hear that it gives you a deep sense of connection. That’s beautiful. But let me ask you — is it the words that give you that feeling, or something behind the words?”
Bill blinked, unsure. “I don’t know. The words… they’re powerful.”
“Yes,” Zim said. “But remember, words are symbols. Some are empty. Some are full. But none are the thing itself. The word ‘God’ is not God. The word ‘truth’ is not truth. They’re just signs pointing to something deeper. And sometimes, we confuse the map for the real territory.”
That struck Bill hard. He looked at Sue, whose eyes were soft with hope. She hadn’t given up on him. And in this moment, neither did he.