The Path {My Bigger picture Moment}

Welcome to Bigger Picture Moments, a weekly writing meme where we breathe in the moments that paint a picture of the grander scheme. All moments are welcome in this space -- small or large, as community is just as important as the grander awareness brought on by searching for a bigger picture every week.

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The voluntary path to cheerfulness, if our spontaneous be lost, is to sit up cheerfully, and act and speak as if cheerfulness were already there. To feel brave, act as if we were brave, use all our will to that end, and courage will very likely replace fear. 
~ William Shakespeare

{photo credit MarcelGermain via Flickr Creative Commons }

The path we walk through the forest of life is not straight and narrow. It’s bumpy, hilly, curvy, swervey. Sometimes its slow and meandering and sometimes it takes quick and sharp turns in another direction. Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest through all the trees that pop up in the path, sometimes it’s hard to see the path, where it will go next, which direction.

Sometimes all that movement, all that unknown can be un-nerving. It can be hard to stop and look at the forest, to look ahead to the visible part of the path. To see The Bigger Picture.

This is one of those days. In the wee hours of the morning I had more bad news thrown at me, plans thrown out the window, to do lists lengthened and revised, stress, piled on top of stress. I couldn’t find the bigger picture if someone drew me a map, wait even if I wasn’t stressed I can’t read a map; I couldn’t find the bigger picture is someone placed it on the (very messy, piled high) desk in front of me.

However much like that workout, or worship service that you are dreading going to, it just solidified how much I needed to see the bigger picture.

So if anything this is an exercise in positive thinking.

Life is fragile, cherish it, protect it, love it live it.

Sick happens. It’s not convenient, but it’s just colds. They kids are missing school, the three year olds first day. It’s sad, it’s hard, it’s painful to see them so miserable. But they are alive. They are generally healthy, they are not suffering from anything serious. They are at loving schools who will quickly help them adjust and catch up. We are blessed that I can stay home, that I am here to hold them and care for them and it’s not overly disruptive.

Yes there is much to do. My house needs to be cleaned, toys put away, meals prepared. There will always be more to do then time to do it. But we have a house. A warm, dry, place to sleep that we are not struggling to keep.

Yes there are stresses, curves in the path and obstacles in the way, but I can still look up and see the sky and clouds, I look backwards over the path we have traveled, and I can have hope and faith and trudge down the unknown path knowing that tomorrow I may be able to see more.