A story about vacations which is, of course, tied up with God before it’s done.
A friend of mine has a highly stressful job, filled with lots of people, governmental regulations and budgetary woes. She juggles these in a frequently noisy and contentious environment.
When I heard that she and a friend were going off on vacation to the Canadian wilderness, I was envious. I imagined the coming days as unfolding according to MY idea of a perfect vacation. First of all, I’d take as companion only someone who either was inherently quiet or would become that way when shushed. It would be a perfect time, a blissful interlude of total silence, only broken by the occasional sounds of nature or the gurgling of the coffeepot.
But that’s not her vision of time-off. While she looked forward to some sitting and reading, she’s more into fishing and boating and exploring and going. She even was excited that it was bear-hunting season up there and some had been spotted in the area of her cabin.
My reaction was oh, be careful, don’t go outside, be sure your food is in tightly closed containers. Maybe you should just stay home.
She said, heck, that’ll make it more fun. I might even get a chance to skin a bear!
I guess it’s all in the attitude. When faced with a bear, or even the possibility thereof, I’d batten down the hatches and stay close to home. Not Kim. She doesn’t break step, going ahead with her adventure. She strides forth to meet the challenge.
I need to be less timid. Perchance, my friend needs to be a little more cautious.
Let us pray:
God, when there are bears in my life, help me to face them. Help me not to hide from them behind a locked door or mind. And, please, God, keep an eye on my friend when she’s around bears, whether she thinks she needs protection or not.
Amen.
