As with everything I write, I don’t know if everyone is like this. But, this is how it happens for me. I am constantly muttering to myself:
Hey, what is that over there?
It’s like I disxover a small hole in the side of a hill and I venture inside to hopefully uncover something magnificent and amazing. As I examine the walls and venture deeper, I uncover things like writings of the Stoics or the record of Maximus the Confessor.
I imagine that this is a original discovery and this could be my new philosophy or that it will change my life in some magical way. It’s how I used to approach Scripture until I was disappointed way too many times. But, nevertheless, the journey is the same.
While I am evamining the walls of the cave and stepping forward cautiously, I try to absorb every discovery that presents itself to me. And then it happens.
Without warning, I find myself entangled in a spiderweb of sorts and I stumble backwards. When I gather my wits, and look to one side only to discover a skeleton or something else that startles me enough to hasten my retreat.
Reluctantly, I resolve to return again some day, but for now, this path offers too many obstacles. I realized I’ve been conditioned by religion to look for magical, effortless discoveries that just “come to me” without much thought or effort.
All this is discouraging at times, but then I remember my base longing to discover which activates the explorer and whispers to me once again:
Hey, what’s that?
So I venture into another cave, wide-eyed as ever. And the journey continues.
A part of me knows it would be easier to return to organized religion and have someone present to me their slideshow of their adventure. But the better part of me now realizes, it’s not the same at all!
There is nothing like an adventure!
Adventures can’t be scripted and they can’t be experienced through someone else. Adventures are messy and exhausting and even frightening at times. But they’re always worth it!
There may be different levels of adventurers, but I think all of us need that adventure of discovery. There is no life in confirming what we already know. There is no justice to criticizing the discoveries of others.
Life is found in the journey of discovery that keeps asking questions and keeps learning from what we discover even when that journey is within ourselves.
I do recognize the value of a guide, but I also know that all guides are limited by their own experience.
Stay on the journey and be at peace!
Be where you are,
Be who you are,
Karl Forehand
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