Flying like a bird ... in the Garden

The airport was crowded, and it had the usual maze of directions, escalators, elevators, trains, and moving walkways, with a multitude of people going in different directions. I had my hand luggage on wheels and was moving swiftly while looking up for the usual signs as to where to go for transport out of the airport. I saw a sign that pointed to the exit. It was squished in between a number of others, themselves pointing in different directions. “This airport’s signs are not very clear”, I thought, as I took the moving walkway that seemed to lead to where I was going. I was in a hurry to get to the hotel and settle in. I looked up again to confirm the direction I was taking, and found that the sign I had seen was nowhere to be seen any more… and there was no sign ahead that I could see, to indicate that I was still going the right way. I began to look around to confirm… and found myself flying through the air like a bird in the Serengeti… one of those little ones that simply fly swift and low, from one tree to another. But I was no bird … and there was no tree. I landed with a distinct and grating thud, and proceeded to skid on the rails at the exit of the moving walkway, like I was on one of those splash waterways they put up in the theme parks and malls for little girls and boys. Only… this was rather painful. Someone was bending over me and asking, “Are you ok ma’am?” I looked up and smiled feebly, nodding my head. I was still in shock, flat on my tummy, and not sure whether to get up, smile, feel embarrassed, or be angry with the system for setting up signs incoherently. I got up gingerly and hobbled to a seat … luckily remembering to pull my hand luggage behind me. After catching my breath, I looked up for the signs again. The signs to the next place were clear from this position. I headed for the train that led to the exit still wondering how I could have decided to attempt such acrobatics all the way out there… in the land of opportunity. What did I expect to happen if I was moving one way, while facing quite another? Yes… even now I ask myself the same question, and ponder about how many times I may have found myself experiencing pain in my life because I was not trusting the signs I had seen… only to look back, and all around me, and find myself crashing to the ground in pain... that relationship that failed because I did not trust the signs in front of me whether positive or negative … that job I did not get because I did not trust myself to get it during the interview, or when writing the application… and so many other things. Can you relate to this? How did I expect to get it right if I did not have faith that the path I was taking would lead me to the right place? How did I expect to reach safely and well if I did not face the path I was taking squarely enough to see the stop sign and the opportunity to get off at the right time and place? How did I expect to succeed in getting to where I was going if I did not have confidence that I would be able to turn back and start again should I find I have made a mistake? If I was so unsure, how did I expect to get where I was going if I was not humble enough to ask for direction when I needed it – especially at the beginning? rnYet, even with all this new-found understanding, it is not enough to simply learn and know how to do the right things mechanically. Life is also about faith in God, confidence in His love and mercy, and humbling yourself before Him, enough to ask that He may guide you along your way safely and successfully always. I flew across a moving walkway and felt the pain in a part of the Garden far away from my home in Garden. I felt the pain for no reason because I did not trust the sign I had seen, had no confidence in myself to find my way, and was not humble enough to ask for help. It was a lesson in life then, yet it is more profoundly a lesson in faith now. Through God’s mercy, I have over the years since then, learned to trust in God’s amazing and awe inspiring way. Through God’s grace, I have learned to have faith and confidence in His way, and to humble myself before Him and seek His guidance and mercy always. I have come a long way on this amazing journey in the Garden… a truly amazing journey of faith that allows me to fly like a bird … and be able to execute a soft and graceful landing. Want to join me? Come… walk with me in the Garden Copyright © 2011, Ophelia Swai. All Rights Reserved.