Traveler, Not Tourist

I have come to a spot on the journey that seems like an odd spot for me. For those who follow this blog, or more importantly know me, know that I have a deep love for all things spiritual. It is the spiritual side of life that gives us depth and discernment, maturity and peace. This has not been an easy journey for me. My self-developed depiction of my life is functional skeptic. Which merely means that I find a way function, but have all kinds of doubts and questions and objections. Engineers ask questions of what and how, skeptics are constantly asking why.

But I have found a moment on the journey where I feel I am okay with all that. It seems that the spiritual journey and the religious journey have diverged on my path. The religious journey is the paved trail leading to all the tourist spots. These tourist spots dazzle and lure, but I have grown tired of them. It is like reaching for the cookie that is full of empty calories and burning my fingers one too many times. The pain is real, the calories are empty.

Instead, it seems that I have found a small footpath, overgrown with foliage, crisscrossing through climbs and descents. It is a bit more hazardous, it is not well marked. It seems to come with more pitfalls. But just recently, it feels that I have broken through the last of the underbrush and found myself panting and sweating from the exertion, but stunned by the view. The valley below and the rising hills across the valley hold my attention far longer and deeper than the bright lights of the tourist spot. I can let the backpack sink to the ground and I can find rest.

It seems that God would be pleased with this. I can't imagine that he intended me to be frustrated and marginalized in the organization we now call "church". It feels like He is whispering in my ear, "This is what I wanted you to see."
So I drink it in. I savor the moment. Because you see I still have journey left in my life. My old backpack and I have more miles to go. The path has not ended.

Godspeed, If you are behind me on the trail, hang in there, the view is spectacular. If you are one of the ones that help make the trail, thank you and keep moving, I will catch up with you later.
Don