Every fibre of my being aches. I am tired, mentally exhausted, and running on empty. While the new day feels good, there is little in the tank that propels me to get going. I know I need more sleep, balanced food, and a big dose of hope. Food I know how to solve. Sleep solutions are fairly obvious, although I do not have a good track record to taking them. Hope is the illusive one. Even now, being a stranger in a new city (Seoul) is exciting and exhausting. More is needed.
Of the three needs, hope is often the hardest and easiest to grasp. Like everyone in my spot, most of the things that worry me are out of my control. If I am candid, “I’m hoarse from calling for help, bleary-eyed from searching the sky for God.” (Psalm 69.3) Something has to change.
I am taking a different approach, at least when compared to the usual response.
First, I will accept the reality that God has heard my prayer. More relentlessness is, in my language, a statement of distrust. If I believe I have been heard, and I do, then it is time to let go of my fear and be in the present.
Second, I am going to eat a big breakfast. The hotel has a fantastic breakfast buffet and I am going to indulge. Great breads, unusual jams, veggies, eggs, Japanese tapas, and wonderful lattes are just the beginning. Slow eating can be fun with lots of options.
Third, I am going to get out in the sunshine and explore Seoul. There are places to go, things to experience. I will end the day by linking up with an old friend who has launched a wonderful jazz bar and affiliated restaurant. Great music, wonderful food, and conversations with friends are always gateways to hope.
Valleys can be deep however they are also wonderful places to rediscover the things in life that hold great meaning. Today is a chance to take the ugly and make something of it. Life’s path emerges with choice.
