Discernment in the Desert

January 2013

There I was, standing in the middle of a vast desert, sand stretching for as far as the eye could see.  I was lost and did not know where to go from there.  The journey had been long, the sand was hot, my feet were worn, and I lacked the energy or motivation to continue.  With a desperate cry, I looked up to the sky and saw a bird soaring with such poise and finesse, weightless as it rode the wind.  I turned to follow the bird as it flew over my head, and I found myself facing a long, windy path of sandy footprints.

Behind me, I discovered the many footsteps taken to arrive to my current place in the desert.  My eyes followed the footsteps as they curved from one direction to another, winding up steep sand dunes and avoiding large rocks and other obstacles.  I noticed shaded darkness at some points, heard the cries, and felt the pain in my heart as I recalled those moments in the desert.  I noticed the warm periods of brightness, heard the laughter, and felt the joy in my heart as I recalled those moments of the journey.  

My eyes counted the steps, far exceeding the necessary amount to walk from one point to the other; however, every step was required to carry me to my current place.  Some steps were close together and others were widely spaced.  There were times during the journey when I was apprehensive and slowly walked in an unsure direction, and then there were times when I confidently ran in a clear path.  

After examining the path taken thus far, I realized that each step was crucial in guiding me to this point in the journey.  As I turned and faced the unmarked sand in front of me, I noticed something that was not there before.  Far into the distance, I saw the shore, with waves crashing into the sand.  The wind blew the salty sea air and I heard melodious voices calling out to me:  “Come to the water!”  A calming peace consumed me and my many steps made from hope and love, were finally answered with joy.

There it was before me:  a destination.  My journey in the desert was not over, but now I was finally headed somewhere.  I knew that crossing the desert was only the beginning of the journey, but a necessary period of preparation.  Hopefully once I make it out of the desert and onto the shore, I will have enough faith to walk on water.