Monday, October 12, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
On the Road
A couple of weekends ago I ventured to southern North Dakota for a friend's wedding (and what a lovely wedding it was). I had never driven to this small town before and I was navigating it alone, but I was prepared with my Google Maps directions. So on a beautiful summer morning I hit the highway in my Honda and ventured into uncharted territory...or at least uncharted to me.
I had no problems arriving at my destination, but there were moments of doubt in my head that I was on the wrong road and that I was going the wrong direction. I knew I wasn't, but still I had reservations from time to time and panic would pang my heart. I thought this was interesting because how often in life do we feel this way? We know where we need to go and how to get there and when we start progressing towards our destination we think we're all wrong and that we should go back.
It'd be so easy to go back. Easier yet, to stay where we are. That fear of getting lost, of getting it wrong can be paralyzing. The misleading comfort in routine can be intoxicating. But I think we need to trust ourselves more. We need to trust that we are prepared for adventure and lean on our faith. We need to believe in what we feel so deeply about in our hearts and not disregard it as silly--or let others do the same. Because if we do succumb to that fear and turn back, or we stay put our souls are hungry for more and we end up maintaining a life instead of really living life. We feel empty, inadequate, fake. We feel lost even though we know exactly where we are.
Maybe we need to get lost in order to be found. Maybe we need to get it wrong in order to understand what is right for us. And maybe the journey will be treacherous, long, and dangerous, but doesn't that sound a bit thrilling? Doesn't that sound like a wonderful opportunity to learn more about ourselves, our faith, our world?
I had no problems arriving at my destination, but there were moments of doubt in my head that I was on the wrong road and that I was going the wrong direction. I knew I wasn't, but still I had reservations from time to time and panic would pang my heart. I thought this was interesting because how often in life do we feel this way? We know where we need to go and how to get there and when we start progressing towards our destination we think we're all wrong and that we should go back.
It'd be so easy to go back. Easier yet, to stay where we are. That fear of getting lost, of getting it wrong can be paralyzing. The misleading comfort in routine can be intoxicating. But I think we need to trust ourselves more. We need to trust that we are prepared for adventure and lean on our faith. We need to believe in what we feel so deeply about in our hearts and not disregard it as silly--or let others do the same. Because if we do succumb to that fear and turn back, or we stay put our souls are hungry for more and we end up maintaining a life instead of really living life. We feel empty, inadequate, fake. We feel lost even though we know exactly where we are.
Maybe we need to get lost in order to be found. Maybe we need to get it wrong in order to understand what is right for us. And maybe the journey will be treacherous, long, and dangerous, but doesn't that sound a bit thrilling? Doesn't that sound like a wonderful opportunity to learn more about ourselves, our faith, our world?
Monday, July 27, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Women Changing the World
Okay, so I snapped this photo "out of context", but please note... Ted Kennedy is a woman changing the world. It cracks me right up.16 September 2009 - Update: Just want to say that Senator Kennedy was a man changing the world. Rest in peace, sir.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The dear deer...
Yesterday, while driving home, I saw a herd of deer grazing on small patches of grass where the snow had melted at a mini-gold course and go-cart track. I don't know if herd is the correct terminology for a group of deer, but truly they were a herd. There were approximately 20 young deer resembling Bambi and I was completely amazed.
So yeah, I know deer are commonly found in the NoDak... (Often on the sides of the highway, sadly.) And I know there are a lot of them... But, I don't know... This was just so cool. I've never seen that many wild deer in one place together. Nor at a mini-golf course. They were beautiful. Truly.
I'm a sucker for wildlife. What can I say? They bring a specific joy into my life, making me happy in a way nothing else can. I just think that their purpose in life is both simple and complex all at once. That purpose being survival.
We share that purpose, but we make our survival in this world more difficult than it has to be. To get back to the basics of survival, to living... To live off of the green earth with our loved ones. To take our time in our journey. To take notice of beauty around us along the way. Well, I think that'd be splendid.
So yeah, I know deer are commonly found in the NoDak... (Often on the sides of the highway, sadly.) And I know there are a lot of them... But, I don't know... This was just so cool. I've never seen that many wild deer in one place together. Nor at a mini-golf course. They were beautiful. Truly.
I'm a sucker for wildlife. What can I say? They bring a specific joy into my life, making me happy in a way nothing else can. I just think that their purpose in life is both simple and complex all at once. That purpose being survival.
We share that purpose, but we make our survival in this world more difficult than it has to be. To get back to the basics of survival, to living... To live off of the green earth with our loved ones. To take our time in our journey. To take notice of beauty around us along the way. Well, I think that'd be splendid.
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