The Long Road

I had a somewhat enlightening experience this past weekend.  My brother and some friends and I were exploring Arches National Park, and, while in the park, I had some time to reflect on some things about myself and my quest to do what I feel is right for me.  I contemplated things that I haven't really had a chance to ponder as of late, with a busy work schedule and a bout of sadness that corresponds to this time of year for me.  The conclusions I've come to aren't really conclusions as much as they are concepts.

Firstly, I feel like I've felt lost lately.  I feel like I don't really have a direction, wondering what I should be doing that's going to make a difference.  What I realized this past weekend is that we shouldn't spend so much time thinking about what we could be, what we should be, what we feel pressured to be.  Instead, we should start thinking about what we are, what we are good at, what we want to be better at for ourselves.  It's possible to do what you love to do and make a living off of it.  My dad just told me, "If you do something, do it on your own and for yourself."

Secondly, nature trumps God.  I know this is sort of a big concept, and it's abstract, so if you're reading this, stick with me.  There are things in life that God has no control over, just like there are things in life we have no control over.  We can't control when we are going to get sick or when our loved ones will no longer be with us.  I feel like we can do what we can to make what we have more comfortable, more effecient, more enjoyable, but there's a point where we have to just accept that things are what they are.  I think if we're created in God's image, as the Bible says, then ultimately God is also subject to the laws of nature.  If one were to follow Christian beliefs, then even God's own son fell to death's hand.  All we can ask from a God (or from any divine power) is for strength and courage to face nature with grace, will, and focus in the most positive ways.

Thirdly, family will always be there.  It's not always a biological family, but there is always someone who loves you.  Always.  It seems that no matter what goes on in your life, you will have family members you can lean on, but also family members who will need to lean on you.  These are relationships that will be tried, tested, but will ultimately be part of the person you are.

I guess the moral of this story is that life is a long, long road, but we inherently have the means to navigate this road with care and vigor.  It's our obligation to make sure we take the time to see where we are, to notice everything that will be passing us by if we don't open our eyes.