When Our Lives Imitate the Forces of Nature - 8-26-09 Editor's Column

As I headed home last week, I found myself in the middle of a metaphor.

Driving south on Staley Road, I looked out each of my windows to see what
appeared to be a perfect split in the weather to the east and west.

The skyline of the east was what every summer evening should resemble - a
beautifully orange sunset representing the close of another day. To the
west, however, the sky was dark with daylight torn asunder by the storm
that had occurred that day, complete with beautiful lightning and raucous
thunder.

And there I sat in my car, driving the dividing line between these two
extremes.  I couldn’t help but smile to myself as I thought of how it
represented so many lives.

Depending on who you talk to, life will often be described as walking the
edge while trying to maintain balance without falling.

On the one hand we have the days, weeks or even months that are filled
with what seem like nothing but clouds.  At times it feels like the road
that we are traveling is never ending in its revelation of setbacks and
roadblocks, and the beautiful sky in the distance seems like it is always
just out of reach.

On the other hand, we often experience times in life where the high never
seems to end. We get caught up in a whirlwind that seems to take us from
one great experience to the next on a ride that never seems to end.

At that point, despite the impending clouds on the horizon, we often
become consumed by our own joy and can take our situations for granted.

Now, I don’t mean that we should never enjoy the sunshine when it heads
our way, nor do I mean to imply that we should live thinking that each day is
murkier than the last.  Instead, we should pay attention to the details
that we encounter as we drive down this road of life, experiencing both
the good and the bad while driving between them.

A great example of this application would be the new school year and the
students beginning their journeys.  At some point, they will all
experience the good and the bad, but either way they will eventually find
themselves headed in the right direction.

The point is, life is meant to be experienced, and every now and then
we’re going to veer towards one side of the road or the other.  But if we
maintain our focus and keep our eyes forward, the dark times will
eventually end and the sunny days will always be fulfilling.

For better or for worse, enjoy the view this week.