The Course of the Pathway

Pathways are roads that provide an easy and directed route from one place to another. I have traveled many pathways in my life. Some were trails blazed through unpopulated mountainsides leading to a particularly good trout stream or hunting spot, others were the streets of the many different towns and cities I have lived in. Of the two, I prefer the first.

I find the concept of the ‘pathways of our lives’, to be most fascinating. I refer to these as our ‘lifeways’, as they are the trails that are blazed into our history, telling the story of where we have been physically, spiritually and socially. I also know that in my own life I have many times thought I had my future lifeway planned in the same manner I would plan a vacation trip.

There are many congruencies between pathways and lifeways. Both have a start and a finish, both must circumvent immovable objects to achieve their intended goal, and both are dynamic, or can change. It is the dynamic nature of a path that makes it either frightening, or a source of adventure, depending upon one’s outlook on life. How we travel the path, not the path itself proves the mettle of our character. It is upon these lifeways that the future history is written, for others and us.

There are many sources for the altering of a path. Nature sometimes does this violently, as the floodwaters or quaking earth changes the terrain. Other times the gentle but persistent wind transforms it. The resulting detour can sometimes be unnerving for the traveler when first they navigate it. New sights, and landmarks, which are not recognized, can cause stress and confusion, resulting in an unplanned change in direction.

Such is true with lifeways. Lifeways change not by nature, but by choices. At times, we make these choices. At other times, it will be the choices of others that alter our course. Sometimes the change is miniscule, sometimes massive. Sometimes the change is thrust upon us violently and against our will, and sometimes it takes place over an extended period, gently moving us. Either way, any deviation will affect our lives forever.

I believe it to be the course changes that bring us the greatest things in life, the greatest joy, and at times the greatest pain. My choices have skewed my course just enough to cause it to intersect with the lifeway of others. Sometimes at such a narrow angle as to cause us to travel a united pathway for great distances, others have merged for a lifetime, and yet others are more of an intersection, a short traversing of like paths that quickly diverge into different directions. No matter the duration, the impact upon our lives can be tremendous.

It is of great importance to remember our choices not only alter our lifeway, but the lifeway of every other person who shares in relationship with us. There are no ‘little’ choices in life. Some choices will alter lifeways for generations to come. We must remember to choose well. There are no ‘do-overs’ in life. We deal with what we get and what we get is not by chance. I rest in the knowledge that no matter what deviation of lifeway I face, no matter the opportunity or the pain, there is one who watches our lifeways and directs the degree of deviation to work things for our good, if we will let Him.

Enjoy the Java

Jim