Road Signs
Have you ever had a moment?
That one little moment that makes us stop? You look out the window and see the clear blue sky as the hazy white clouds
lazily blow by and you know, you know the eternal.
That inside you which reaches for beauty, love and simplicity of understanding.
That quiet place we forget to listen for.
I have felt and heard this more than once in my life. I have sat and cried as I remember those moments. Today as I sit
here I sense that eternal beauty stirring. Now as I write this, the birds are singing and some are squawking. Some sound lovely
and some have a lonely sound of unrest just like we all do at times.
I think that like us the birds also wait for those moments in life that give them wings.
I look out the window now at the snow covered mountains which are so beautiful and majestic, seemingly reaching for the
light blue sky. Such a thing of beauty yet this is not what really catches my eye today. Not the lovely river flowing through
the valley nor the wildflowers in the fields are what really call to me.
Today it is a uncomplicated man made street sign on this simple country road. Since I moved in last year this sign had
been laying on the ground in pieces but today it is standing with clear bright green signs on it. One sign facing north and
south and one facing east and west. Simple right? Nothing magical yet I felt it. This common sign made me cry.
The sign brought up those questions for me. Where do we go in life? North or south? The river as it flows past knows where
it is heading as it travels downstream flowing on into another river and then onto the homeland where it all started, the
ocean.
I sit here now slowly flowing in thought
yet going no place physically. I long for that silly road sign suddenly. How great to be on your path and suddenly there it
is the green sign pointing you in the direction you have been seeking for so long.
The funny thing is I feel maybe, just maybe it really is this simple yet we have made it hard for ourselves. We have let
anger and fear into our hearts and we fight them like a disease, to busy to be quiet and listen.
I have seen people fight over faith and love. There have been wars over it and so many have died for it yet what has this
accomplished? Thousands of years go by and the wars still rage and this fear and anger accomplishes nothing but destruction
and pain. Not just on the bodies and souls of the people but the very planet that graciously gives us life.
Fear is the cause of so much suffering. The fear of taking the wrong turn
or missing the sign all together. Fear of that
question. “Am I believing right? and if I am why does my neighbor not believe this way?”
“Why can’t they see this sign ?” Questions come, about the way they are traveling and those feelings
of judgment come about the road they are taking. Suddenly listening has been silenced and the noise brings with it fear and
uncertainty. This is what causes war and hatred.
The thoughts start out benign enough but soon they grow into worry, fear that if you don’t obey what you have been
told you will go to hell or whichever venue you have been told is the worst. These are the fears that make people question
their own destiny or may I say destination.
I come back now to that simple road sign. This sign I am looking at may assist you, if lets say you were looking for me.
Turn left on cow creek to get to Traci. Easy enough just like the river gently flowing to the sea.
The only thing is, there is another road leading someone to my door. In fact there are at least three I know of. One is
an old dirt road with many bumps. I usually choose this road to drive home on. No street signs just dust and rocks, yet I
feel safer here for reasons I don’t really understand but that’s, well, I guess, faith.
I guess what I am getting at is it does not matter which road we are on. We don’t need to find our sign. We need
to take the time to listen internally and follow our own faith. Knowing our path is no better or worse than anyone else’s
path. It is simply ours. We must remember that we are all looking for the same things, Compassion, love, reason and destination.
Let us all find that part within ourselves that is seeking by giving ourselves time to quietly listen and maybe not make
it harder than it truly is. We are all on our way home. It is okay to take the road that suits us. Let us applaud each other
and finally unite in love and understanding. Lets put down the guns and take time to realize we are all traveling this earth
together whichever road we choose.
So now after my rambling I am still sitting in my office wondering why this sign made me cry. I realize there is beauty
in all things. The beauty I found today was for over a year I had never seen that sign standing yet I always made it home.
With Love, Traci Rorden
Thanks for taking the time to hear these very personal thoughts.
