She knew where she was going when she drove away at 7.45 am. To the church where she had gone for half a century, only a couple of miles away.
After church she drove ... home. Only it was different. The house was empty apart from some random bits of furniture and closets stuffed with the left-overs of life. Her confusion grew. Where was she supposed to be? How could she get there?
A kind neighbour saw her, recognised she was lost and phoned a relative of hers, who reminded her that several weeks ago she had moved to a sheltered housing scheme. The neighbour led her back there, but left her in a different area of parking lot, not recognising the totality of forgetfulness going on.
Half an hour later an employee of the sheltered complex recognised her and shepherded her back to her home. Traumatised no doubt, and revealing the need now to move on. To let go of the car keys and relinquish driving forever.
Letting go is never easy. It is easy to cling on to the familiar because it is familiar. We feel it represents part of our identity. To let go implies to launch out into the unknown and perhaps be lost.
Yet paradoxically it can be that in letting go, rather than being lost, one is found. One is found because one becomes more fully involved in the new life, having lost that escape route which seemed to offer a return to normality.
Before the birth of our first child, we couldn't wait until her birth so that we could get back to 'normal'. We quickly realized, after her birth, that we were facing a new normal. Nothing would ever be as it was, but it was good. It was all good.
Mhairi has told me about a mime exercise where you act out the letting go, demonstrating that it is only as you properly let go of whatever you cling to that you are able to grasp fully where you are going.
It takes courage to move on. It takes courage to let go, at whatever stage of life we are. Jesus repeated over and over, 'Do not be afraid.' 'Take heart'. 'I am with you always.'
May you be encouraged and encourage others today as we all walk this journey home. Let go. Move on. Who knows what special times lie just around the corner?
Take heart. Don't be afraid. Psalm 63:8... 'My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.'
God is the only one to whom we should continue to cling throughout life.
A California girl from a hot beach city marries a country loon from the cold northeast of Scotland, and she's spent the last three decades making sense out of life there. Reflections on a rural lifestyle, on identity issues and the challenges of moving so far from home,from a Christian viewpoint.
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