Change is a reality. I may want something stable and predictable, however, there is little chance that it will be a reality. As I look longingly at the man running the hawker stand or the guy who knows exactly where he is going to be one month from now, I realize this is not the path I have chosen. I do see each path as having a reward of its own.
When I think of friends and family in California, New York, and London, I think of predictability. Individuals I know live with a sense of assurance. They know the train they are catching in the morning, often far in advance. They have a good sense of what the weekend will hold. Yes, there are variations. However, the usual variations are within a range of possibilities. Unusual is just that, not usual.
When I think of others, I find myself in familiar territory. Nothing is a given. The only thing predictable is that life will be unpredictable. Travel is a norm. Keeping odd hours, with conference calls in the middle of the night, is part of the routine. The idea that there is a routine day is foreign.
As I look at the two extremes, it is easy to be judgmental. One is better than the other. One has more benefits than the other. One has less downside than the other.
I am not sure I am qualified to express a view on any judgment. I know what I know. I also know that I do not understand the other. When I listen in on an old conversation, I realize that I do not often understand the view from the other. As an example, when Paul responded, “The issue in Jerusalem is not what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the Master Jesus does through my obedience. Can’t you see that?” (Acts 21.13) The answer then and now is, “No, I do not see that”.
Walking my path does not mean I understand another’s path. Knowing gives me the chance to learn.
