Finding Our Way

Finding our way through life is not always intuitive. Making assumptions can be misleading. Who would expect a path to lead between two trees who’s roots look like it might be one tree? Closer inspection shows the unusual is the best way in this case.

The last few weeks I feel like I have been in several different adventure stories. Each adventure seems to be connecting in someway to all the others. Alone, each story line is important, but as they began to come together some bring things from my past into better focus. Different story lines allow me to see other things from perspectives I never had before, which in turn give me better understanding.

It is a little like adding pieces to a puzzle, only it is in almost continual motion. Trying to make sense of it all on the move began to wear me out. So I stopped and took stock.

I spent time looking for photos in my archives to illustrate the twists, turns, ups and downs of life. I found many ways our initially intended routes become. . . irregular. Some had snow and ice to hide and make the way slick and treacherous. Others were steep or flooded or covered with downed trees as obstacles to navigate.

This solitary, Boston street at night with its uneven bricks and cobblestones that were laid hundreds of years ago made paying attention to each step a must. One misstep could lead to a trip and fall or a twisted ankle. Hurrying is rarely the most fruitful option in the long run.

Some story lines feel like a vast expanse of sand in a dense fog. There is no path, but there are a lot of footprints in every direction. Up close there is no real sense of direction. There is very little to illuminate the way forward. Did I say forward? Which way is that? When I lose my points of reference it is easy to become disoriented, confused and lost.

Points of reference and perspective are so important as we are finding our way. That is why waiting for the fog to lift can be extremely helpful. We see better without the fog. We have more data to make decisions with. Like the cairns giving points of reference along the rocky terrain of the mountain path in the photo below, waiting for the fog to lift also allows us to enjoy the view.

That brings up the element of timing. Sometimes there are connecting elements in our life story that are not ready for us yet. Or often we are the ones not yet ready for a crucial connection to lead us safely to the next part of the story. Discerning when to rest and wait, or to push through a challenge, is all part of the timing of finding our way.

As we all persevere through our adventure stories we begin to see how we have learned from our experiences. Over time our personal stories weave together and we can see more clearly how we fit in God’s bigger story.

Here are a few things to sit with when you have time:

What are your points of reference? Are they solid or shifting?

Do your assumptions need to be verified?

How is your timing? Is your pace of a constant hurry or do you have time to rest? Is there a rhythm?

Are you enjoying the view? If not, what can you change? if you are: Celebrate! (And bring others along.)

Is your perspective changing with experience? Then look for those connections that will help you find your place in God’s bigger story.