The other day as I walked along the rails to trails, I thought about what a peaceful path this is. Yet this same path was originally the railroad tracks through our town. This serene path used to be hustling and bustling with trains passing through.
It made me pause.
Recently I was telling Stephen that I feel like we were given a gift this year to step off the trains in life we were on and step into the countryside where we gained a beautiful view of the world. Although it took cancer to get us to step off the train, it was a gift. We have been gifted a perspective in life of what truly matters.
People.
The things, the places, to do lists, schedules, etc. exist but they are not what nourish you in those moments when you are on the edge of life.
It is the people.
The relationships.
The conversations.
The comfortable silence.
The ones that hold your hand and heart and walk beside you.
I enjoy the countryside and for most of this year we have lived there. I was blind and deaf to the trains that may have been passing by. I saw those beside me and was present with them.
Yet recently I am starting to hear and see those trains pass through, inviting us to hop back on.
The thing is, I don't want to jump on. I want to stay in the countryside and keep this perspective yet I know I need to also move forward in life.
How do I move forward and keep this God-given perspective I have come to cherish and not allow the craziness of the world to move in and sweep us away on the next train passing through?
I need to stay close to the edge.
No, I don't want cancer. But I want to walk beside others who are on the edge. Being there beside others who are going through their own "edge experience" helps me keep perspective and rooted in what matters, loving others.
Yes, the path before us today may appear like the old railroad tracks, with trains passing by inviting us to hop on at full speed off to our next destination.
Yet, I invite you to join me and...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
And let's not hop on. Or if you are on a train, I offer for you to hop off the next stop. Let's all meet in this countryside. Let's take a moment to watch the trains pass by and ask ourselves if one those trains is where we need to be. Sometimes the countryside will make us face our truth which can be challenging, but there are others of us here waiting to walk beside you on your journey to a fuller life. And together, we can enjoy this life and the beautiful view.
With love and hope,
Shawn