Meandering....

"Education is the one thing no one can ever take from you." That was a lesson deeply embedded in Chris and me growing up in the Dean household. Every chance Mom and Dad could get, they were trying to increase our vocabulary, teaching us a new word. After the word was introduced, Dad would periodically work it into a conversation with me as a test to see if I remembered the meaning. There were even occasions that he would make some philosophical statement, using lots of "grown up" words, just to enjoy seeing the confused look on my face!

Taking him home from the doctor yesterday, I noticed that something grabbed his attention on the right hand side of the road. He became silent for a moment.  When this happens,  I always know something is on his mind. After the short period of only the radio being heard, the Baptist Rabbi said, "Meander......that is one of my favorite words." Through my slight giggle, I respond by saying, "What in the world made you think of that driving down the road?!" He briefly described the creek that grabbed his attention as it worked hard to provide an appropriate pathway for the water to flow peacefully from the storm that made its way into our area the previous night. He found the movement of the water back and forth simply breathtaking.

As always, there is a lesson in his observation. Dad proceeded to explain that he loved watching the twists and turns of the creek growing up. He found it intriguing the way that the creek had learned to be flexible in creating bends and curves, allowing the water to meander through the flexible pathway of the creek bed. When the water enters the creek, it does not know its path. However, it embraces the unpredictable path, taking the back and forth motion with tolerance, respect, and grace.

There is beauty in life's meandering. Rarely does life take us on a straight path. We greet each day, not knowing where our "personal creek" is going to take us. Flexibility is key. There is peace when we find the ability to respect the back and forth motion of our journey. Some areas of our creek move at a fast pace, bouncing against large boulders and the creek walls. At other times, the movement is slow, moving peacefully and quietly. The danger is not in the willingness to meander within the intended path. The catastrophe happens when the volume of the water overflows and floods the creek - spilling into unintended paths, causing damage to surrounding areas.

Not only do we not know the future of where our personal creek will take us, but we are not always aware of personal conditions of the creek of those around us. Our personal past and current experiences shape the conditions of our creek. We must learn that grace allows us to find peace in our current travels, but we must develop a tolerance for those who are traveling a different path. We are all called to meander, but not necessarily on the same path. While we all learn to embrace the power of meandering, may we all remember that we must stay within our limits of flexibility. When we lose respect for our personal creek walls, we can easily cause damage to ourselves and others.

Think of how boring this world would be if we all traveled the same path! There would not be enough room in the creek to hold us all! We are all called to meander in our own way. There is beauty in flexibility and tolerance for the path of others. However, it is equally as important to stay true to ourselves and stay within our intended path.

"Meander"
Just like my Dad, I like the sound of the word as well.
Even better, I'm glad Mom and Dad taught me to embrace the meandering of my journey and the journey of others. Tolerance.......respect.......grace......ultimate peace......