I have shared this with only a few people in my life. Probably one of the most private experiences of my life and truly one of the most impactful. With my up and coming defining journey through the Great Loop this beautiful piece of literature came to mind. It has also been recently released as a movie and with a little free time tonight I watched it and well it reminded me of why and where I am at as well as where I want to be.
For those that do not know I am not a religious person at all. I find no reason to be involved in organized religion and often find some of what I have seen done by religious people abhorrent. While that is beside the point and not something I will talk about here but so you know, I do believe in the common lessons taught by almost all of the world's religions. Things such as empathy, tolerance, redemption healing, generosity and love. And yes just because I believe in them does not mean I have always lived by them so please do not get it wrong, I'm human and at times done my share of well done my fair share.
I won't spend much time on this part as I have dwelled on the past a lot and this blog is not the place for it. No instead this blog is about the good place I am coming to in my life and well after watching this movie tonight it reminded me much of the journey that I have been on over the past year.
Many years ago I had the horror and the privilege of being in a position to read a lot. While being in a place that gave me both solitude and time, reading was my escape. I think it was during that time, that my love of writing came back to me, that rebirth of something I have shelved since I was a child. While I did not pursue it then it was always something that I wanted to follow through with and now with the opportunity the Universe has given me I can go after that passion.
I have said many times that there are no coincidences and that all things happen for a reason. When I was away and had the time to absorb book after book I came across a piece of literature that had a profound impact on me. So profound, that it has become the only book I have shared with friends, family and loved ones. By sharing this book it was my way of sharing my beliefs with the people I held dear. As I stated earlier I am by far not a religious person, I am not a christian or a muslim and personally I hate labels like that. However this book, I guess I should share the title with you now "The Shack", held my attention like no other. Over my time alone, I read this book at least a dozen times, always finding some new lesson in its pages. Even when I returned and found I really did not have the time to read I found myself picking up my tattered copy and rereading it over and over again.
While the book is overly christian in nature it was not that at all that appealed to me. It was the path of the journey I found incredible. It was the journey from a life of pain, yes some self created to realizing the beauty of life, to forgiveness and finally redemption that I found so interesting. THe journey from hatred and confusion to love.
There are no coincidences in this world, that I am certain of. So with my up and coming excursion through The Great Loop it is rather fitting that I watched this movie tonight. Heck I may even pull my copy out and read it again.
The reason I say it is so fitting that I watched this film tonight, as I look back over the journeys I have been on over the last year it seems as if the universe has been guiding me down a path of forgiveness, redemption and healing in its own way. I am no angel by any means and if you have read my previous blogs you know most of my life story. You may even know why I had the time to read so much, but really that does not matter, all too often I have forced my life down one path or another, being selfish and at times even an asshole. Not now, now I have decided to go after the life I have always wanted by just showing up and letting things happen and leaving myself open to the outcome. I will not dwell on the past as I have done too much of that and I strongly feel that those doors have now been slammed shut.
The first trip was my way of coming to terms with my past, accepting what had happened, what my role in things were and what roles others had played. That journey did its job and allowed me to shut the door on the past as hard as I could.
The trip here to Florida and my decision to go on The Great Loop is my defining trip, the one where I take the leap of faith. The one where I truly trust the universe and say ok I am yours guide me to where you want me. Kind of like what happened in the book, it is my time to work on the garden of my life. I know it sounds silly but it really isn't or at least I don't care if you think it is or not. This is my journey not yours and maybe just maybe I will find what I am looking for.
In liking my journey to the path of guidance in "The Shack" maybe my return cycle trip across the country will just be the celebration of life. Who knows I don't and right now I just want to show up do my best and work on my garden. Thank you for allowing me to share this very personal moment of my life with you. Till next time be amazing and get your heart in motion it is wonderful.
