Left – Here On Earth

December 3rd, 2014

“Earth is forgiveness school. I believe that's why they brought us here, then left us without any owners manual.” ~ Anne Lamott

This morning on Facebook I came across an article in Salon by one of my favorite authors, Anne Lamott. This article was on forgiveness and we all know what is at the root of the forgiveness tree. Anger. Anger that fuels hurt and pain and causes heartache and tears. Anne talks about the hurt and pain we start collecting in childhood and how the backpack we carry them in gets heavier as the years go on.

Then, in my email I find a blog by another author I like, Lisa Jakub. Today she was discussing moving. And we all know what comes with moving – contemplating one's life and reliving the memory each item brings up as we begin the arduous task of packing. Packing to reclaim a new territory offers us the chance to purge. The chance to decide, as Lisa points out, Do I really need this? Do I want to carry it down two flights of stairs of my old place, then up two flights of stairs to my new place? In her article, she also says that moving is one of the most stressful things a person can do – right up there with the death of a loved one and divorce, but she doesn't view it that way – she loves to move.

I'm smiling right now because I know you thinking Where is she going with this? Hang in there. It's brilliant, I promise.

For the last five years I have written this blog in an attempt to create an owner's manual for my life. I have wrangled with anger, hurt, deception, as well as happiness, fulfillment and contentment. I have traveled and explored, through these writings, the human spectrum from one end to the other and finally, one day not too long ago, while driving to work, it all became clear. WE ARE ALL THE SAME. In all my ramblings I'm not telling you anything new. Lisa Jakub thinks she's out of the norm for liking to move. Not at all. I LOVE to move and recreate a new nest, and I'm sure there's more of you out there saying I do too! People think I'm crazy, but I do too! (See, I told you it was brilliant.)

Anne Lamotte came to the same conclusion through her writings, though much more extensive and indepth than I could ever do. There is nothing more comforting than finding out you are not alone in ANYTHING this life throws your way. Someone else, somewhere on this earth, has gone through exactly what you are going through. In her books, Anne touches a lot on the part God plays in our lives. I think this is the absolute most important part God plays in all we experience – He sets in our path just the right people to show us that we are not alone. To show us there's no shame in being angry or hurt. To show us we don't have to hide in a closet sucking our thumbs and beating ourselves up because we can't be as “good” as everyone else. My brilliant truth? No one is as “good” as anyone else. WE ARE ALL THE SAME.

And so, as another day goes by, I will head off to work to join others in this quest of figuring out life as we move through the activities of our day, and, I will, as I do everyday, anticipate with excitement just who or what God will cross my path with. I also think I will purchase Anne's new book Small Victories, and…for this day, I have written.

Hope and joy sit on my doorstep. I sincerely hope they do on yours, too.