The great French psychologist philosopher Jacques Lacan said that desire is not a relation to an object but a relation to a lack. We don’t desire what we have, but what we don’t have.

The second noble truth of Buddhism is that desire causes suffering. Closely linked with desire is ignorance. Constant craving emerges from an ignorance of the world as it really is, free of illusions. Because we do not see and therefore love what is, we always want something else. This is the root of suffering.

There is a strong stream in Christianity that would like us to believe that we are separated from God and live in a broken, fallen world full of sin and evil. Of course, out of this belief desire is born: desire for God and for rescue.

But there is another strong and growing strain of Christianity, a more universal and compassionate spirituality, that sees no separation and that we can actually love what is in a world where perpetual desperation, frustration and disappointment are no longer required of us.