Monday, June 30, 2008

The Journey

http://www.noob.us/entertainment/matt-harding-dances-around-the-world-2008-version/

It's a very small world. Just 75 years ago, crossing an ocean took two weeks. Travelling the country took equally as long, due to the necessity for trains. Wanted to get somewhere off the beaten track? There was still a chance you would be going horseback.

We've come a long way in the past 75 years, learning to travel at breakneck speeds. You can talk to someone on the other side of the world instantly, and share some form of a relationship with them without ever knowing their real name.

It's a world of instant gratification, where you want something, and you want it now. Taking a few hours out of your day to travel somewhere seems like a waste. Phoning someone can seem cumbersome when you can post on their wall, or send them an IM.

Somewhere in there, I lost the sense of a journey. Where I was forced to sit back, smell the flowers, read good books, and get outside. I got caught up in making money, in paying the bills, and in the petty politics of everyday life. Concerned more about those around me than myself, my feet began to stumble over the uneven ground, and my eyes fell to my cumbersome steps.

Life your eyes young man. Lift them to the mountains, to the heavens, and gaze upon your salvation. The light emanating from your destination should mesmerize you. Don't let the flashing lights along the way pull your attention from the finish line. You don't need to worry about lifting your feet, for it was not you who had the power to step out of the mire to begin this journey. You were waist deep and unable to move, but someone lent you a hand out. And you took your first step. Your path will be steady if you keep your eyes on the end.

I forgot the stumbling. The scraped knees, the open wounds, and the fierce battles for my life. I was lulled into a sense of security, and let my armour grow rusty. Brandish it once more, for the hunter lurks in the shadows, stalking you. Unsheathe your sword, awaken your sore muscles to do battle once more. You need not fret the scrapes you will endure, for you know a Doctor who pays keen attention.

This is a battle for your life. And you are not alone. There are thousands, millions of us on that same path with you. We have fallen wayward, and become distracted from our home. We have settled for far less than we will know. Show us the path. Live a life worth following, not just in your words, but in your actions. Take the precarious precipice, daring to scale the slick cliff face that threatens to throw you to the rocky ocean below. Take it because it is the path we all wish to take, but are too afraid to scale.

I have been distracted, but distracted no more. I will dance the dance, fight the fight, and run this race. I will set my sights not on my feet, but on that city. I will fall, I will fail, I will hurt, I will learn. And each time that I want to stop, that I beg for relief, I will find times of refreshing knowing that this is not my home. This rocky road, this comforting bed, this seductive shortcut is not my home.

My home lies ahead, and I long for it.