The car could have been parked in any city, town, or village. Except for the reality that it has been on my primary walking route to the office for the past six weeks, I do not think I would have noticed. What started as an observation morphed into a curiosity and, in time, a reflection for a simple reason. The car never moved. For as long as I have walked by, it has constantly remained in its space. With time, it because the tangible metaphor linked to an old observation; “These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance.” (Romans 8.23)
Movement and death are incompatible. Without movement, everything seems to fade towards death at a faster pace. Activity takes us somewhere while naturally restoring the mental and physical aspects of one’s life. Restoration and recreation are essential elements to deal with the corrosive elements of life.
There is a difference between being still and being inactive. The first is purposeful. In stillness, we have time for reflection while patiently anticipating the next step. Being inactive occurs with time. It is, for me, a way of describing a wandering mind connected to a lifeless soul. There is an absence of good, specifically found in connection and relationships.
Being inactive is visible to others, even if I cannot see it myself. If I was in the driver’s seat, I could not see the twisted and torn license plate barely hanging. I would be oblivious to the dirt on the outside. Everything would remain as it was. From the inside, nothing changes. From the outside, the lack of care is obvious to anyone passing by. Death is taking over.
Purpose needs movement. Living is defined by our connection and actions with others. People living in relationships define a community. Purpose comes with belief, intent, and movement. It is in the combination that we know what it is to be alive. In movement, I realise my purpose by the ways my voice, hands, feet, eyes, and ears bring love and compassion into the moment we share.
