Don’t Look Back

In the past few years, we have had family, friends, neighbors and classmates affected by California wildfires.  When you don't know what to expect, what to start packing, or where you'll go, especially if you have littles to care for, there's a lot to figure out in a short amount of time.  

If the hills are on fire, if you're in the path of destruction, if you're in the midst of swirling chaos...

An angel shows up, specifically takes you by the hand, leads you safely out of a disaster, and says, "Run for your life!  Don't look back, and don't stop! Run for the hills, or you'll die!" 

- Do you just keep running for the hills until you are safe? Are you able to press forward, lean into the possibilities of everything ahead?  

- Do you take a moment to negotiate?  Your life has just been spared, and yet you aren't sure that you can endure any more. "But I can't!  I won't make it!  Can I just...?"  

- How far do you get before you wonder, " What just happened?"  Are you able to never look back?  Do you long for what you once had? What used to be?

I can't help, but find a little relief in Lot's story.  He needed a little nudging, a little hand holding along the way.

Do you need a moment to hesitate? In all of the chaos, do you just need to gather your wits about you?  To make some sense of it all?  To simply, just catch a breath?  A slow, deep inhale. And the gentle, patient release. 

You are allowed that moment of pause.

It's in that moment of hesitation that someone takes you by the hand, brings you out of catastrophe, to give you the courage to simply follow.  How much clearer does it get?  Am I riding on the faith of others?  Will I reach out to grab someone by the hand when they're stuck?  

I enjoy the fond memories of many trips and moments of joy teaching art to children around the world.  But even now, I also learn from what was, what happened or didn't happen. How things unwrapped and what resulted.  I could have ___.  I should have ___.  But don't get hung up on those moments. We're allowed to hesitate. To not know all of the best outcomes. Don't just long for what was lost or what once was. Don't stay in that place.  Look forward. 

I know that we are making the most of our time together, yet apart, quarantined through Covid-times. I know that this is cultivating a foundation for what is next.  But when it's time to run on my own, I don't want to look back or stop short. For now, I'm holding on in faith. Take a moment and grab hold!