Friday, January 2, 2015

something to ponder...(part 2)

...would be my original plan for the previous writing. To share something I read in a book recently by Don Miller. This is a different book, written when he was living in Texas, and went on a road trip with a friend driving in a (you guessed it!) Volkswagen bus that was both chronically and acutely ill. The bus was near death's door before they left on their vision quest, and provided about half the fodder for the book: when they got stranded, parts fell off, things got patched together with speaker wire.  Compassionate people they encountered who: did repairs, provided meals, helped them get on the road again.

The title of this one, written before "Blue Like Jazz" is "Through Painted Deserts: Light, God and Beauty on the Open Road". There have been several passages, paragraphs that really caught my attention. I am reluctant to mark up books, especially when they belong to others. So I sadly confess: I wrote in this paperback, spirited off the bookshelf of a close relative. With an ink pen. It so spoke to me when I was reading recently, taking a lunch break at work. And has stuck in my mind/heart, I need to share it with anyone who will read/listen/pay attention.

The pair of travelers were en route from Texas to the northwest states, taking a circuitous route. Decided to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. When Don gradually realizes it was a bad mistake, poorly made decision. Dramatically overestimating his ability to walk down many miles on a steep, rocky, precipitious trail. And then having to climb back out of the canyon when exhausted. A different trail, but equally demanding. So here he is, left behind to travel at his own pace, with his friend moving faster, more able, going on ahead up the constant incline.

As Don struggles up the never-ending steep, rocky grade, he ponders:
"I think to myself about the weight in my pack. Last night Paul and I talked a bit about the stuff that we carry with us.  All the weight we walk around with, emotional baggage, thinking we need stuff we don't need. We weren't getting very deep or anything, but I keep thinking about it, and how much stuff I walk around with, about how life is a dance and God just meant for us to enjoy life, not get bogged down in sin and religion. Just be good, it seems like, is the point of life; be kind to people; don't hate anybody; forgive people because we all make mistakes. I know there are always going to be exceptions to this kind of thinking, but it seems like life would be better if we could just let go of the thought we need more and more stuff to be happy, more and more of the approval of others."

I got stalled out a few pages later, had to get back to work, and have not read lately. So stay tuned: you might see  more of Don Miller musings here soon... I am wondering, if I give him all the credit and admit that I am quoting directly from a book that was copyrighted in 2005, will I still go to jail?

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