I am standing on a balcony overlooking a river. The silence is natural, simply flowing as Divinity naturally intended it to be. In the cool morning light, my mind drifts off to the warm cup of coffee I know if coming. Life appears unhurried. The river below is gentle. There are no sounds of cars or trucks. Even the air seems to be purified.
Yesterday I was caught in the hustle and bustle of the corporate game. You can see the ladder at work. Most of the time you can spot the minority that is trying to climb. Each is engaged in a battle, fighting their way through others stuck or their rung. A few are descending, having been pushed or discovering that they no longer have the will to continue. It is a stress filled scene that often extracts a price from the life of each choosing to stay in the mix.
Seeking healing, for the heart and soul, I still away for a few days. I find myself a long way from it all, seeing it clearly for the first time in months. As I stare at the river and the forest around it, the gentle whisper of meditation is directive. “Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him. Don’t bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top.” (Psalm 37.7)
I can see that there is little choice to be part of the game. I can take a break now and then to recharge and refocus. Life is rarely about getting to a destination, even if it is the top. Life reminds me it is about living – being and doing the stuff of caring, compassion, and community. The number of rungs we climb does not matter. The speed at which we climb is an fact that should not determine anything. It is how one climbs that matters.
As I consider my climbing methods, I realize I have models I would do well to follow. Life gives them in the hope that I will pass their examples to others.
