I continue reading The Wisdom to Know the Difference by Eileen Flanagan. This morning she shared an experience of woman struggling to find her mission in life. She was taken aback by a comment she heard from her minister one day: “If you’re swimming upstream, maybe the problem isn’t the stream. Maybe you’re heading in the wrong direction.” The words were helpful to the young woman, but as I read them approaching 70, they sort of baffle me. Granted, not every piece of wisdom that comes across my path is meant for me at any given time, but when one is searching for direction, each suggestion carries with it hope of some kind. The hope is that there may be one right path that will make life easier and all we have to do is find it.
But the truth is, even the right path can be perilous. I have learned that potholes or whirlpools teach you to walk rightly or swim with strength. Nevertheless, one alway has to be open to the possibility that a path should be abandoned or one should go with the current instead of against it. I am not an expert on these things.
I think the secret is not in knowing what to do in every circumstance, but rather, being grateful for the path thus far traveled.