The reality of being or feeling displaced is all around me. Several on my team are struggling to hide in a war raging around them while others have fled to countries offering refuge. Homes have been lost and lives disrupted. In addition to the struggle to live while family and friends are at risk, much that brought a sense of peace and hope, homes, schooling, community, has been destroyed. It is unlikely that anything will ever be like it was.
Even when one is relatively safe, the reality of being a stranger in the land is all around me. I am a guest in the country I call home. As much as I admire and respect the people and community I live in, the reality of not fully belonging is always present. As I wrestle with this, I hear the old words of Peter across the generations. “Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul.” (1 Peter 2.11)
As I reflect on my feelings of empathy for anyone displaced, I find myself going back to purpose and vision. From any perspective, the reason for my existence has no link to being comfortable. As I search for it, I have come to appreciate how non-relevant comfort is to the equation. Life has a way of reminding me of what takes precedence.
Making a difference. As every visit to a hospital reminds me, there are people who face far greater obstacles and hardships in life. I have an opportunity with each day and in every moment to make a difference. I have a choice of helping others as well as myself.
Being present. In the chaos around me, I often find my mind drifting. It is as if I have become numb to the moment at hand, seeking solace in the mundane. Life likes to call me back into the moment I have through individual voices and the reality of events, community, and relationships.Being open, ready to act, with no regrets.
