TRUTH . . . IS ALL AROUND US
(continued)

So we decided on the hills. While some of the other guests huddled into easy chairs, we climbed into the MG sports car we had borrowed for the weekend and cautiously nosed our way out of the long driveway. The car interior soon misted up and I had to lower the side window to clear it. In came a few spots of uninvited rain. Having experienced a change of attitude I noticed that these rain drops were quite refreshing and not at all unwelcome. As we pressed on, dark cloud formations drew our attention to the ever-changing pattern of the sky. I noticed for the first time in my life that grey was not always just grey; there were different shades of grey. Until then I had felt it was a colour we could well do without - and today it is still not my favourite.

Suddenly the wind got up and swept the clouds rapidly across our vision. The heavy rain stopped for a moment and a tantalising snatch of blue sky opened up, seemingly full of promise. We found ourselves absorbed by the natural creation in quite a new way. I was certainly more at peace than usual, when I would have been indulging continual complaints about the foul British weather and a ruined weekend. We were sincerely happy as we watched the patch of blue disappear and were plunged once more into heavy cloud.

Before our forty-eight hours were over we had experienced a crash course in the elements. Rain, sun, wind and even a smattering of sleet and snow for good measure. What a great weekend it was. It could have been a miserable 'wash out' if my thinking had remained unchanged. Instead we had really enjoyed the whole experience, not just the bright periods.

'You are worthy, for you created all things, and for your pleasure they were created', seemed an apt summary as we headed happily home. It wasn't true that life was meant to be always full of intensely satisfying purpose and heart-stopping beauty. There would be bland ordinary periods, perhaps a backdrop to the more exotic times we experience? But not to be ignored.

Every moment and every situation is part of the fabric of life and can be consciously entered into. No need to run from dark experiences and painful circumstances. They may be too dire to be overtly enjoyed, but they play their part in the development of a full-orbed life. So I am slowly learning not to constantly berate God to change things, but as these pages will reveal, it is taking a lifetime to become a master in the art of living.

© Maurice Smith 2004

//Continued