When you look back at yourself many years from now, and ask
whether you lived the way you determined you should, do the thing
expected and ponder whether life could have been greener; but do this
with the knowledge that there is more to you now, as then, than you
realize; and whatever you do, do not look too deeply, for the life you
chose was just that: a choice. It was given to you. You did not earn it,
and you will not keep it, so do from here on the things you were afraid
to do, and say from here on the things you wished you had before. Then,
when you've finished wandering the broad halls of regret, look then
straight ahead, into your own eyes, and know that you were and are a
gift from the Father, whose life gave meaning to those around you,
whether you knew it or not. Every life is a life of
substance, whose value will become all the clearer when you stand with
the one who made it. "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror,"
Paul declares. "Then we shall see face to face." Live the rest of your
life, then, knowing that there is in you a light from the Father, in
whose radiance you will soon stand, free from accusation.
*Note: In the following post, I am heavily influenced by a pastor named Bob Shirock. Specifically, Shirock writes about Solomon's response to the pleasures he experienced in life in Ecclesiastes, and observes that we can enjoy pleasures in life if we accept them as God's gifts, and if we express our gratitude in their enjoyment. He cites Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 and 1 Timothy 4:1-5. I’ve noticed something about pleasure: the highs can be followed by lows. This sounds obvious, but what I mean is that times of joy and fun in life's pleasures are wonderful, and can lift your spirits for a time, but they can be followed by a disappointment that comes from the realization that they are short-lived and will not satisfy us in the long-term. I’m calling this a pleasure hangover. We gain happiness for a time, but see that this happiness is temporary. We therefore feel a subsequent low that leaves us still longing. It reminds me of a theme in the life of C.S. Lewis: sehnsucht , or a wist...
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