Maybe God was trying to tell me something today, because I ran into two different
labyrinths unexpectedly. Labyrinths are essentially paths that lead
nowhere. Designed as a journey with no destination so that one MUST focus on the meaning of the journey itself. Also important when walking in a labyrinth, unlike a maze, one cannot get lost.
Labyrinths are tools to help us examine our lives. Walking among the turnings, one loses track of direction and of the outside world, and is able to quiet the mind. When walking a labyrinth you should examine everything that happens while walking in relation to your life. So if your mind gets distracted and you start walking in the wrong direction, maybe you need to look at what is distracting you and consider how it to resolve it and get back on track.
The first labyrinth was still under construction, like my life. And I realized that even an unfinished road can take us somewhere fantastic. You don't have to plan every second of your journey and wait until the road is finished before you start. Sometimes we have to start our journeys with no idea where they will go.
Even if you have no idea where you're going, I still think it's important to take time to periodically step outside yourself and examine your life and where the road you're on leads. Maybe you don't need a labyrinth, maybe you'd prefer meditation or writing down a five year plan. But it's important to know where you are and where you think you want to go on your journey.
"The unexamined life is not worth living." ~Socrates
Why is moving such a different experience when it is other people's stuff? I guess it's partly because I wasn't there for the entire experience of dismantling ever single knick knack in the house and sealing them away. But it was more than that. Yesterday when I was lifting heavy boxes and televisions up long flights of stairs, I was helping a friend, something I could feel good about. When I move my own stuff, I have to say goodbye to my former lifestyle and pack the things I love in boxes where I can't use them. There's nothing worse than physical labor with the aim of sealing up your prized possessions so they can't be enjoyed.
But now I know that moving can be fun. I think next time I move, I'll try to approach it from an outside perspective. I think focusing on the end destination instead of the journey may be best in this instance. While helping my friend I was excited to imagine the new places and possibilities in her future, and it was fun to be a part of that process.
