Paths...
The most beautiful paths that I have walked are the ones lined in mystery... I was the type of kids who loved to explore all of the junk in the basement or go off in the trees that used to be across the street from my house before they built Brunswick extension. I was always full of curiosity and wonder about what was coming up and what I might run into or find. I didn't have fear of getting kidnapped or grabbed or eaten by a bear, but my desire to find something was more overwhelming than anything else.
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In life, this is an exciting way to live. Live with awe and wonder. Wonder about the lives of the people I meet or pass, curiosity about their personalities and beliefs and interest in knowing their life story. Rarely are we given the chance to be drawn into that greater knowledge of our acquaintances, but when we are, our paths cross in such a way that it is hard to part company and go off on a pathway all alone again.
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So, friends, don't leave me to walk alone, but I invite you all to stay on the path with me. If I want to detour, I promise to take you along on the adventure!
posted by Gillian at
9:25:00 PM
3 Comments:
So true! I like the dichotomy between physical and mental curiosity... I find myself in that situation a lot. You never know how people will take you, and I know I am always afraid of offending someone by being too curious (which I guess could be called nosy! I hope I would never be taken that way! But I guess it is remedied by having the relationship with them to back it up.
I was just reminded of how one of my best friends in Ottawa and I got closer. She seemed VERY reserved at first, she was the wife of a youth pastor that I had just started helping out at Bethel Church in Ottawa (this was during my university years). Anyway, in November I was invited to go along on a leadership training weekend. Until that point I had mainly spent time with her husband- Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursday, and Friday evening- with every program that he had to run. I had a great connection with him, (recognised his impressive leadership philosophy and wanted to gain as much teaching/direction from him as possible!) So, anyway, all the leaders (10-12 of us) were away and one evening I had gone with the others to eat in te Mall's food court while they ate at East Side Marios. We easily finished up early so I wandered back and decided I would make nose prints on the window looking at them until they noticed... I did a few other silly things then went in to chat as they finished up. It was probably the first time we really were introduced to each other, but in later weeks and trips she and I would do all sorts of silly things together, from having ice cube fights in a hotel hallway, to high speed downhill snow tubing and the list goes on. I didn't know that really she had such a fun side and as the years in Ottawa went by, we grew closer and closer. We had the best chats ever, lots of girlie sleepovers when Rob was away and many road trips with their family.
I guess what I was thinking was, I was so fortunate to have made the connection, even though those first silly moments COULD have been very detractful to her opinion of me. Now I couldn't imagine life with out her being as close as a call.
After finishing all my boxes last night I was resigned to leaving some photo albums here in Yarmouth that I would have loved to take with me up north. I was leafing through them and realizing how utterly blessed I have been in my life. As long as I can remember I have had the chance to become friends with millions of people from all over the world. I have special unique memories with people from every corner of the globe, and so many people that love me and want me to be around. I am so flattered that every summer I feel torn, with many many people from Ottawa who ask and plead for me to move back there and other in Yarmouth who try to convince me to move back here... It's so special to know that I can feel at home in so many places (not to mention my host family in Germany who asks me when I will re-visit!
What have I done to deserve all of this? (rhetorical question for I don't want to jinx myself!) I just hope that all of you who are reading this can recognise and seek those pure and true and open and loving friendships like I have. They are my fuel when things get tough or seemingly insurmountable... I pray that all of you will be covered in love today!
Thanks for the invitation-- I'm so looking forward to walking the vicarious path with you- I always want to know what's around the corner, just a little further- anticipation -
I think we were both posting on each others sites at the same time! Too cool!
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