Sunday, August 24, 2008

Leaps of Faith

I'd like to invest some money but the financial world is in such chaos these days. I'd like to change jobs but employment seems so uncertain these days. I'd like to buy a new car but who knows what the price of oil will be this time next year. I'd like to follow my dreams but, well, you know.
And so I sit waiting for certainty and safety.
It appears that I have little faith in taking leaps of faith -- leaps into uncertainty with the only safety net a feeble assumption that things will be okay.
And then I realize that every moment of every day I leap hundreds of times with nothing save faith to sustain me.
Really.
How do I know whether or not the guy in the diner up the street who cooks my egg sandwich has hepatitis and hasn't washed his hands once in the past month? I don't. And yet I thoroughly enjoy my egg sandwich.
Leap.
How about that woman heading toward me? Will she stay in her lane or will she slam into the front of my car? What is the level of her driving skill or her sobriety or her focus? I have no idea and yet I maintain my forward motion hoping for the best.
Leap.
Do I really know that next week I will still have a job? Lots of people next week will not have jobs. And still I remain confident of my ability to pay my bills.
Leap.
So far my heart has maintained its regular and amazing rhythm. I'm counting on it to continue doing so for decades to come.
Leap.
We do the best we can with what we have.
Wait a second. Now I get it!
My days are filled with courageous leaps of faith.
Just like your days are filled with similar heroic acts.
We all live on the precipice and we all -- not because we are religious but because we are alive -- are heroes.
And when we realize and absorb the magnitude of our daily and heroic leaps of faith, perhaps life will become less intimidating and our worlds bigger places.
An everyday hero. That's what I am. That's what you are, too.
Keep leaping.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are so talented at simplifying that which should be obvious. Sometimes just living from moment to moment is heroic and that is not always obvious. Sometimes that which IS obvious is not always true. We all need heroes to look up to. Thank you for reminding us of that.

Anonymous said...

Precisely - keep leaping - we all are heros - after all, we cope with the scams.