A year ago, I visited Africa to attend a friend’s wedding and take care of a couple of things. The initial excitement of escaping winter for a few weeks of warmth immediately paled before scorching humid heat. The near-to-nonexistent power supply married to inescapable noise and air pollution from private generators and vehicles was a rude welcome back. I could smell incompletely combusting fuel even in so called reserved areas of the city!
I struggled with chaos that is the order of each day and it messed up the eloquent plans I nursed while planning that visit. A critical, judgmental and complaining attitude was doing press-up and sit-ups in my mind. Worry was working-out its muscles within; worries about mosquitoes and malaria, worries about water quality, security among others. The first week was very trying as constant irritation stalked but I had to constantly remind myself why I was there.
The prophecies that came ahead of the trip kept me in good company and check. I would escape into my 90-day Bible reading challenge for a few minutes where nothing else mattered. Thereafter, I’d resurface to the daunting task of living in a very challenging world and being nice to people who were trying their best to make me comfortable. By second week, I quit trying to adjust to mountainous challenges everyone lives with like it is nothing and grew a little more accepting of the realities. And by then I had repeated the purpose of that trip several times it was etched in my subconscious and began to mold my perceptions and guide my observations.
As I lay in bed one morning, I pondered all that we have that come as usual in the West. All the provisions and choices we take for granted, little things that cause us to lose it big time. And how people with so little have such joy that elude the privileged. I came to the conclusion that it is not just about what we have or where we are: it is about who we are, who rules our hearts and what rides our attitude.
If we get stuck with where we were, we miss the beauty of where we are. When we can’t let go of what we had, we lose the opportunities the present bequeaths. I needed to let go what I can’t have to enjoy what I had. I wanted to enjoy the present irrespective of what was missing – that fateful morning, I intentionally set my heart to let what was and what will be aside and enjoy what is. As I relaxed into the moment, I discovered that I could look beyond all that was missing and I had a wonderful time after all.
Next time you are moved to complain about where you are, what you don’t and can’t have, remember that peace, joy and fulfilment don’t come from those. They are gifts from God, always there for us no matter where we are or what we are going through. It is up to us to find them and enjoy them in spite of whatever is happening or not happening for us. We need to set our hearts right to enjoy wherever we find ourselves because there are so many living without what we are missing and yet they are the happiest folks to meet. As you go into the New Year, resolve to take nothing for granted, everything in life is a gift.
Glory!