“In the endless universe there has been nothing new, nothing different. What has appeared exceptional to the minute mind of man has been inevitable to the infinite Eye of God. This strange second in a life, that unusual event, those remarkable coincidences of environment, opportunity, and encounter…all of them have been reproduced over and over on the planet of a sun whose galaxy revolved once in two hundred million years and has revolved nine times already. There has been joy. There will be joy again.”
There will be joy again. I can assure you of it.
While it is a necessary part of life, nobody really enjoys saying goodbye or watching as the chapters of life move forward. I’ve had to look back at my life and see a lot of people, places, things, and experiences come and go. The real question one must ask is whether or not they are the one who is moving, rather than the one staying still.
Sitting in a ‘first class’ overnight cabin on a train in Bangkok, I was fascinated to stare out the window and see endless numbers of people sitting on the ground. Sitting. Waiting. Watching. “What are they doing? What are they thinking? Is this what they do every day?” I couldn’t but stop and pause to wonder.
This audience of people, stuck on the side of train tracks watching as the train passes by, is all around us. Rather than a train track, some people stop and plunk down on the sides of their Facebook profile; participating, as an audience member, for the lives of others who post their updates, photos, and major life events. The “like” button has replaced what it means to send a greeting, thank you, or condolence card.
So, we keep on liking, tagging, commenting, and messaging our way through life, watching it pass by through the iridescent glow of our computer screens.
My life has changed, dramatically, since making the move to turn off the computer screen and engage my life with an intentional mind set that I believed it to be for the living. It is good. Very good.
I recently visited my hometown, Columbus, OH. And I realized it absolutely didn’t feel like home anymore. The experiences now felt foreign and as if I were a tourist; I was and am.
Featured Image From Deviantart
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