A number of years ago I was struggling with a personal matter and sought some advice from my Parrish Priest. He's roughly my age and very easy to talk to. We sat and he listened intently as I started to unfold my story for him. At issue was my trying to reconcile my faith against what was going on in my life. Simply put I wanted to know why bad things happened to good people.
After letting me go on...and on...and on....he said he wanted to share some very sage advice he received from someone at a personal crossroads of his own. He told me that I shouldn't live life looking through a rear view mirror. He told me that I needed to keep my eyes on the road I was traveling, looking ahead and not behind me. He said that if I kept on looking at what was behind me, I would not see what was in front of me and I might even go off of the road altogether. He said, finally, that there is nothing much behind a car on the road anyway. Nothing more than dust. Dust settles and what doesn't settle always blows away.
He's a wise man.
I was talking with a friend recently and I shared this story. After our conversation ended I sat and thought about how often I have mentioned my Priest's words to others, how often I have shared his advice. I also thought about how many times I did not take his words to heart, my own heart, continuing to frustrate myself in the process. I also thought about where I am right now and where my eyes are.
I am not looking in that rear view mirror now, no I am not. My eyes are fixed on the road ahead. They are focused, clear and intent. I see the road as it unfolds before me and when I am unsure of what to do, what direction to go, I do not look in the rear view mirror for guidance. I stand still. I stand still and watch the road ahead until I know which way to go.
And now, when I get the urge to look in that rear view mirror.... and I do get that urge... I think of my Priest's words. I think of that dust he said was there, that dust left behind me. The dust that eventually settles, eventually blows away. The dust I have left behind.
Left behind.
Indeed.
1 comment:
When driving I look in the rear view mirror to anticipate what I need to do. If someone is too close I give more space in front so we have more breaking distance if needed. I also look behind when changing lanes, passing etc.
That is in motoring. In life, the rear view mirror is not there to see what I did wrong or right, it is there to see divergent friends, and see if they are actually still within reach. I guess the analogy is did I lose some of my badly tied down load?
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