Going Down the Path of Life

A Metaphor of My Life Journey

I’m walking down a path. I come to a fork in the road. I have to choose left or right. Down the left road are roses. Down the right road are sunflowers. I think to myself the roses are beautiful, but I’m not sure that I’m a huge fan. I choose the path with the sunflowers. What can be happier than bright yellow sunflowers? As I’m walking I have a severe allergic reaction to them. I decide to turn back. I pray to God for relief. My allergies subside. Once again, I am standing at the crossroads. I am reluctant to go down the path with the roses, but they smell and look so beautiful. I realize it's the roses or go back to where I was. There's a nudge that I feel is from God. So, I think to myself why not?

I start down the path and enjoy my journey. As I walk I see a rose so beautiful that I decide to smell it. I reach down and prick my finger on the thorn. I think about turning back, but then realize the thorn wasn't that big of a deal and I keep going. I see another rose and once again prick my finger. I shake it off and keep on going. The next time I touch a rose, I first check to make sure there aren’t any thorns, but I get stuck again! Seriously?! I was so careful. I think to myself “What an idiot, why do I keep doing that?!” I decide to just forge ahead, but I resolve to not touch the roses. Along my journey I pray and converse with God. I am enjoying my connection with the Source of all. I realize I am not fully enjoying the roses. They are so beautiful and smell so fragrant. I learn to gently handle them without touching the thorns. This results in an amazing expedition. I feel so alive; so happy! As time goes by, I forget about the thorns. I smell another beautiful rose. And, you guessed it - ouch. Ultimately I make it to the end of the path. When I reach the end I am in awe of the beautiful mountains and waterfall in front of me. I take in all of it's beauty with gratitude and praise for all that is.

I somehow learn that at the end of the path with the sunflowers was a dark forest with ferocious wolves. What seemed to be torturous, the severe allergic reaction, actually saved me. The thorns along the rose path were just stumbling blocks or perhaps just pains of life itself. What I realize is these "stumbling blocks" or "pains" make me more aware of my experiences. They keep me connected with God. For each time I am in pain I reach out to Him for comfort. Along the way I learn to reach out to Him with gratitude, not just when I am in need of help.

My take away? Enjoy the beauty of life, thorns and all. For without reaching for the rose we wouldn’t experience the full essence of its beauty. Stay connected with God in gratitude. No matter what life's circumstances, try to find the silver lining and trust that all things work to get us where we need to be. Faith, trust, and patience are key! God doesn’t punish us by sending bad things. If we ask Him to be in our life He will keep us on our path whatever way He can. It’s up to us to decide which way to travel.