Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Moving On In The Maze

Why s it that we have such a strong inclination to stay in the same place in the maze? Why do we get so attached to the layout of the walls that surround us that we mourn their loss when the time comes to move on, resisting the change as if it threatens our very soul?

When you look at the different stages in life as simply being in different locations in the maze, its easy to get enough distance to see this human tendency to resist progress as silly, unproductive and unnecessary. But that doesn't change the fact that its hard, really hard, to take a risk and see what's around the next corner.

It reminds me of how when I was a small child, each time I moved up a grade, I would cry and beg my mom to let me stay in the grade before, with its comforting familiarity and sense of safety in the already accomplished. She always encouraged me to keep going, reminding me that I would feel better as soon as the uncomfortable newness wore off, as soon as I found my niche in the new grade and got the thrill of being challenged anew. But those first few weeks were always painful, a reminder that I couldn't hang on to the small bit of cheese I had already found, that I had to gulp it down and have faith that I could find another piece in a new place.

She was always right (about that at least). As soon as I stopped mourning what I had lost, I got excited about the new subjects, new books, and new friends. And I think that's the key to overcoming our human urge to resist progress, the reminder to have faith in the possible, a confidence that somehow what we have already accomplished will give us enough strength and creativity to meet the next challenge, and the next.

Because in the maze, if you stop moving, if you wait for the piece of cheese to reappear where the last bit was found, you will starve. It takes a leap of faith to move from a place that has already given us something to look for something more, but it is this action of faith that shows us we are alive, this ability to take risks that forces us to keep growing.

We are always moving on in the maze. Instead of seeing it as a threat every time we have to move, we should see it as an opportunity, to exercise our faith in God and in ourselves. And every time that faith is confirmed, we will feel stronger and safer in the ever-changing maze we call the world.

No comments:

Post a Comment