Strive And Be Alive

It is often during the approach of New Year’s Eve that people begin to reflect on what has been achieved during the past year, or sometimes simply what events have taken place… which are not always pleasant. This is why we focus mainly on the achievements, the milestones we have passed on our journey along Life’s Road and that reassure us of the direction that we are going in. Life is in constant motion. In fact, a philosopher (possibly Heraclitus) once said that, “the only thing constant in life is change”. This is true, and you can see it two ways. You can take it that everything you build and pursue is fleeting (which is rather depressing), or you can take it to understand that life is alive… life is in motion, which means that it is never in the same place at the same time.

Think of life as water. This is not an unfamiliar analogy since we need water to sustain life. Even in the Bible it has been said to drink from the “water of life”. If you are thirsty and you come across water, you always check to see if the water is flowing or if the water is stagnant. Stagnant water stays in one place, it is still and collects debris, bacteria, and algae within it, which can make someone very sick, and which makes the water pointless to drink. However, consider a stream or a river. The water in these systems are constantly moving, from a mountain or hill down through miles of terrain, and either connecting to another larger river, or emptying into a sea or ocean. The water is in steady motion as it flows across rocks, fallen trees, and any other obstacles. Powerful currents ebb their way through earth, cutting natural courses into the land that they travel over. Ultimately this water arrives at a destination and becomes one with it, fulfilling its purpose in movement. This is the type of water you drink from. This is also the type of water you rely on for transportation, or to generate power… it is life-giving in a multitude of ways.

In the Scriptures, Psalms 1:3 describes of being like a tree planted by the rivers of water, bearing fruit in due season. This too is where we should plant ourselves. As a river brings fresh water, nourishment, and energy, so should our lives. If we are firmly planted and rooted in soil beside a flowing river, then our seeds can follow along with the stream. So as the water carries our seeds and hopes along so should life’s journey progressively move toward the goals that we want to achieve. It should be able to break down the barriers set before it, it should be able to follow the tried and true paths that it has traveled before, or when they are no longer practical, to then carve out its own course through new terrain. If we do not move, time still passes. We can choose to either go with the flow and grow or to stagnate and evaporate. Our streams of life move toward their destination by the force of striving.

In just a year’s time I can see how my own river of life has progressively moved through the topography of 2010. Just as a river rarely runs a straight course, such is life as well, full of surprises. Yet, around every bend there are new exploits and there are new open ways to reach the goals that we strive for. As many people do, I have goals for my life. Sometimes these goals seem distant and far off, but by faith we can stay in pursuit of them, or at least when we have the strength to realize this. I cannot believe the many good things that have come my way in 2010. I have ensured the stability of my career in education during a time when so many people have concern over their jobs. I have achieved a new level of health and physical fitness that I have not had in years. I have found a new home to buy, and I am in the process of closing and having a new place to live. Finally, I have found a woman who completes me, one that is worthy to be called my Empress, and who I can see a great future ahead for us. These were not expected things, but they were things hoped for. As long as we are progressive in our mentality, each of us can make our way to our goals as we ebb and flow through the daily terrain just to get there. I am still in motion, moving in order to make progress on what has come and to gain new ground until my river runs into the sea. My faith propels me and keeps my river from running dry. If we want it badly enough, and we believe in its purpose then we can cut through the difficulties and doubts that we encounter and make it to where we are destined to be. Each of us can do this if we remember to strive.

We must strive to be alive; we must stay in constant motion. Be active in your life’s journey. Be progressive and continue to flow just as a living stream of water. Bear these things in mind as a new year begins. I wish everyone a Happy and Blessed New Year… and treat each day as a new year and a new time, lush with new opportunities and new courses for your river to run.

Strive & Be Alive,
JAHsh