“The man knew what he wanted and went out and got it! Walked into a jungle and comes out, the age of twenty-one, and he’s rich!”
The world is changing. Whether we like to admit it or not, we cannot help but stand and admire the beauty of the things which are, which previously were not. We live in a rapidly changing culture, where questions are able to be asked that were not able to be asked in the past. The bible being made available to readers was one step in the right direction, thanks to a great many who sacrificed their lives to pursue what they believed. We finally live in an age where those who sacrifice their lives are now able to reap the benefits of their pursuits, rather than a match tossed on the pile of wood they are tied to. Life is a beautiful, complex, and dangerous intricacy. Jump in.
Sitting here, I have a very difficult time comprehending the number of changes that have occurred within the short timespan since my move to Los Angeles. It is exciting, and invigorating, to see the fruits of hard labor come to fruition. Prior to moving here, I was determined to take a leap off of the proverbial cliff of life. And I feel that this jump, mid-air, has been the best decision of my life.
Were a great many of these circumstances to have occurred in the past, I would not have appreciated the value or worth of them. What costs us nothing is worth nothing. However, I have been through a great many circumstances that have all but broken my back. Even in the midst of those times, I did not pray for relief of burden, but for a stronger back. And G-d has been happy to create a path for me to tread upon that will test this idea to its very core.
What I’ve found ironic is that I’m discovering truths through pursuits that have made me wonder whether or not I was at risk of rejecting it. Stepping away from comfortable opportunities and contacts has provided me with more legitimate opportunities and solid individuals to work with. Even stepping aside from several comfortable social circles, moving to a place where I knew very few people, has proven to take a surprising spin for the better. Three weeks ago, I was eating fast food in the comfort of my home. This week, I’m eating the best steak Beverly Hills has to offer, in a place I’ve never been to.
“The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make a Heaven out of Hell, a Hell out of Heaven.”
These past experiences, which provided the comfortable illusion of comfort, were actually steps away from what G-d had in store for life. Perhaps there will be days where it is not a steak that I’m eating, but free handouts from a soup kitchen, or cheap fast food, the principle remains the same. I’m learning to keep my eye on the prize that life has to offer, and to not be discomfited – or comforted – by the present circumstances.
A prayer I prayed in New York City, literally 5 minutes before receiving the phone call that I no longer had a job:
“G-d, if you want to give me everything in life, I will know it was from You. and if You choose to give me nothing in this life, I’ll know I have everything in you.”
The phone rang. Tears fell. And then a smile began to creep on my face, as I realized G-d has, and will continue to, honor His promises.
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