You ever wonder why you are where you are? This may be an actual 'after 40' writing. You ever get caught between your incredible blessings, the attending responsibilities, and a wrong vocation?
We know the free spirits for which living seemed their art. They would write or paint, sure. But we find they lived with passion. Others recluse. But each living as true to their desires as they possibly could. I am thinking of Poe, Gauguin, Einstein, Hemingway, Louis L'Amour, others.
Compromise was not something they allowed into their lives and dreams. Do you spend a great deal of time in a cubical? Or a business that simply serves the same function and purpose? A work that attends the responsibilities of your wonderful blessings - your family.
Now some of heroes listed above and others made a choice - a decision to compromise their families. But some didn't even allow even that one indiscretion. They insisted on having it all to the best of their ability.
What if you missed this understanding early on - the one they grasped? What could you do then being old? Now, as the title of L' Amour final work - Education of a Wandering Man - I can say that has been my case until the point I turned deeply into my own thinking. Waking from my slumber now I get that old familiar itch...to travel, to meet, to work something new. To rescue and create.
Scripture tells us that a work was put in place for us before we were even born. And Christian gurus tell us that we can find our 'purpose.' For me, I can't hear that without thinking of Steve Martin in the Jerk. But scripture, I can buy that. He says the poor is always with us...and that orphans need help as well, fatherless need fathers. He says, shake the world off you. Serve, give, help, and live abundantly resting in Him.
What if we made that our art? Families in tow on that adventure. A smile on our face not brought there by the latest comedian, movie, or Italian meal.
What if we sought to maybe even make that our vocation?
Yeah, I need to get real. And while I do that stop telling other people what they should do - what 'the Bible says.'
That's the real hurdle isn't it - living a life that enrages people. Being a counter-cultural freak who oppresses others with their talk of ... orphans.
