I’m of the belief that life consists of endless metaphoric trails- only we call them lessons. And when we believe we should have completed a trail, or learned a lesson already, we throw our hands up and cry “woe is me.” We might even write a blog post about said trail and invite others to grieve with us the fact that we never really learn on this side of glory.
When you return to the the [trail], you return to the place where you left it, not to where you started- Henri J.M. Nouwen
Something’s been bugging me lately, where did we get the idea that when we “re-learn” a lesson we are starting from the beginning? Where was this falseness birthed? This lie of all previous learning being void when a theme you’ve already experienced in life is repeated?
I’m currently on the metaphoric trail of “trust and hope and peace.” Its a very long name for a very long trail apparently. Exploring the depths of my disbelief and anxieties and calling out for His mercies daily hourly.
There has been some reoccurring scenery on this trust, hope, peace trail- some saddles and tree lines I’d swear I’ve seen before. Or maybe that’s just my pride remembering… a silent, insistent, “I know, I know” inside my mind.
But the truth is- I’ve never been here before. I’ve never made it to this part of the mountain before. And the trail demands to be treated as such.
This trail of trust and hope and peace.
It requires me calling upon all I gathered a few months ago on the “Wisdom” trail. It expects I navigate using truth, it assumes I know not to travel this trail alone. It deserves my respect, my attentiveness, and my humility.
This trail has been walked by others before me- a million times.
It has been talked about by scholars and pastors and written on extensively by poets and authors. And they’ve left clues along the way, advice and words I am grateful for. But the thing about climbing mountains and walking metaphoric trails is this… you have to do it yourself.
Hearing someone tell me about the view from Table Top Mountain is not the same as seeing it for myself. As much detail as could ever be included in the retelling of the journey, hearing a story will not make the adventure my own. It’s the same with lessons- someone else’s learning does not instill the same modified behavior or knowing into me.
I must walk this trail of trust and hope and peace for myself. I must learn to trust and hope and have peace in my own right. Building on where I’ve walked before, what I’ve learned before and what I’ve learned from others.
And in walking and learning I will most definitely diverge from the trail. I will become distracted by another lesson, another view point, a new opportunity. Taking with me all that I’ve learned up to that point- but I will also most definitely return to this trail. Because I will never learn all that is possible on this side of glory.
But when I inevitably return to this trail of learning trust and hope and peace, I will take heart knowing all learning is not lost. And your learning isn’t lost either. Whatever trail you’re trekking, keep on with delight. You’re not where you started, you’re right where you’re supposed to be.
