Life is already full of predictable outcomes...rarely do we go into anything with a complete surprise.
No, we don't get to have a GPS for where we are and where we are headed in life. Really though, would we really want one? So much in life is no longer filled with wonder....as our heroes are exposed with weaknesses and exposed as being not real. Our idyllic ideas like Santa are exposed as false at earlier ages. We discover our parents are far from perfect very quickly. We can know through science and discovery so much as we go along compared to the old days. So many computers, predictable weather, predictable events, GPS giving us turn by turn navigation...
The next part of the journey requires we take a look behind...where have we been.
The past is filled with joy, shared moments, pain, trials, sadness, the peaks and valleys that come with living life on this side.
This was my son on his first day of school at five years old. He was so full of hope, full of wonder, a little scared...wondering what was next when that school bus picked him up. He would soon find out as kids pushed and shoved, called him some names...he took some arrows.
The truth is the next step in the journey can look a lot like the past portion of the journey. You see, he will be full of hope, full of wonder, a little unsure and some upper-class men will push, shove, bully and test him.
The difference now is the way we look at all the little moments in between--the now and present. Many people have made a big deal over the years about those few defining moments where a person can step into the moment and actually choose to be brave in the face of fear, and every boy wants to be found to be brave. Those moments are so few and rarely do we realize them when they occur until they are years in the rear view mirror.
The real bravery is facing every day--meeting it head on, the mundane moments, fighting traffic, paying bills, waiting in lines---facing it with strength, grace and honor. These are the defining moments because what we do for the lion's share of our time is what defines us--to others it IS who we are. How to pass on that information effectively...so much is learned through what is seen rather than what is said--at least that's what my son tells me.
This is my son today--headed to his last day of school.
This is who he is...
Courage--to face each day as a believer at a time when most people are ridiculed for believing-or at the very least not included.
Strong Tower--his friends come to him when their world is crumbling, when their world no longer makes sense and when they are looking for something to anchor to against the winds of change.
Heart--at his truest self he shows his compassion for others in need with his words, filling their emotional gas tanks with something that cannot be bought. He has learned a lesson that takes many people most of their lives--that which is important cannot be purchased. For that lesson-he has a bond with each of his friends.
No, we don't get to have a GPS for where we are and where we are headed. Really though, would we really want one? This now becomes the beautiful and amazing journey into the unknown....where anything is still possible.
