Introspect

Christmas in one day...a normal time to be introspective? Perhaps. What happens when we realize that we will not be the man we always imagined ourselves as? Ever. What do we do when we suddenly see into the past and remember who we always thought we would be with the understanding that that's not who we are? And not the man we saw as children; the hero who scores the winning touchdown, or hits the homerun in the bottom of the ninth, or rescues the girl, or any of the other winsom tales of childhood or adolescence. I'm talking about the person we started to see glimpses of as a teenager; the bits and pieces of ourselves that we began to construct as we got older, became young adults. The person we aspired to be who would lead people and be admired. There were things in the people we looked up to that we assigned to our future selves; things that we knew were good in them so we kept them for ourselves as well. There was a man at the end of that tale who knew himself, didn't doubt, lacked weakness or fear. He always did what was right, always knew what was right.

The greatest danger of that realization is the loss of hope. We can reach that point and succumb to a feeling of utter failure. We can stop trying; give up; give in to the fear of our own insignificance. We forget--

We forget that the dream is never the same as the reality. We forget that we are created not for ourselves but for God; in his image and for his purpose and that will never be bad nor a failure so long as we do not stop reaching for the dream that he has for us. Every decision we make is a chance to stay on that path or to return to it. Whatever point we have reached is that starting place for the next part of our journey. We can continue to have courage in spite of our fear, only striving to be more courageous. We can continue to try and live with integrity and strive to be more honest. Even good fathers can become better fathers; even good husbands can be better husbands.

Anonymity is a human fallacy; a creation of the ego, born of fear and loneliness; bitterness and low self esteem. We are never--we cannot be--anonymous to God. Our value in his eyes is boundless and equal to every other human being who has ever existed on this planet, save one. And that one was his Son; and it's because of him that our value to God persists.

If no other person ever applauds your efforts or recognizes your accomplishments God remains steadfast in his celebration of who you are; who I am; who we all are.

His love gives us endless worth. Our love connects us to him. And to each other.

Unto us this day a child was born. Through him are extended God's tidings of peace and good will toward men.

We have worth because we are loved. Pray for peace--be the instrument of it, even if it's just to your family.
Mike