"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life…" -Henry David Thoreau, Walden.
So, I'm not going to live in the woods to be self sufficient and write about my criticism of modern society. I'm not doing the latter, mostly because I obviously can't write as articulately as Thoreau and I'm not doing the former because God doesn't call us to be hermits and live in isolation. (Thanks Laura) But I can't deny his reasons for going into nature, are the same for mine going on the World Race.
This might be the worst idea ever, but I'm going to use Titanic as an analogy.
I remember watching the movie, Titanic some years ago and watching all those people die in the frigid Atlantic water. I remember sobbing watching Rose promise Jack that she would die an old lady warm in bed, that she would do lots of things and live life to the fullest. Then at the end when Rose does die warm in her bed, the camera pans all pictures of Rose doing all the things that she promised Jack, she lived life to the fullest.
Clearly no one knows when they are going to die, the exact, date and time are a mystery. I have no idea how long I'm going to be on this earth before I'm with my heavenly Father praising him forever. All I know is that I want to live this one life I have to the fullest, and if you will, suck the marrow out of it. I feel like God gives me, and gives us plenty of opportunities to live this one life to the fullest and our fear and discouragement can hold us back from enjoying everything God has planned for us.
Rose could have simply given up, taken the easy way out, and just died there with the rest. But she chose to fight and blow that whistle as hard as she could to get the boats to come back, so she could keep her promise to Jack and live her life.
I realize this life is a gift from God, and I'm not just going to lay down and die, I'm going to fight for the boats to come back, I'm going to live it. I'm going to live intentionally, and love unconditionally. I want to fight for the boats to come back for everyone else too. I want to share this passion for life with everyone. There is plenty of room in the life boat for more people than just me. (The lifeboat being Jesus, get my analogy within an analogy?! ;])
While we're talking about Rose, I'm reminded of Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay, Self-Reliance. He has a beautiful quote about a rose.
"These roses under my window make no reference to former roses or to better ones; they are for what they are; they exist with God today. There is no time to them. There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence. Before a leaf-bud has burst, its whole life acts; in the full blown flower there is no more; in the leafless foot there is no less. It's nature is satisfied, and it satisfies nature, in all moments alike."
Nature doesn't lament the past or worry about the future. It just is. In it's grandeur and beauty, it fulfills it's job. I pray to also be like this rose. To live everyday for the day that is at hand, for God, with God.
I'm not naive.
I've read the blogs.
I've been on teams.
I've had roommates.
Some days the Race will suck.
I'll wanna give up.
I'll wanna look forward to going home.
But I'm writing this to hold myself accountable for those times on the Race.
This is my prayer, to be like a rose.
Don't give up
&
Live for today
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And gosh darn it, suck the dang marrow out of life!
