True North


As you may know, yesterday was a Christian holiday known as the Epiphany, said to mark the arrival of the wisemen at Jesus' birthplace.


Ironically, I learned more about the story this morning in a Unitarian Universalist church then I ever had in the Baptist church where I grew up (maybe they thought people would think we were Roman Catholic if we mentioned it?)

Anyway, our minister, Christine Brownlie, gave an inspiring talk about what it might mean to follow a star in today's world... Starting a new job or degree, going in a new direction despite the disapproval of others--simply based on instinct, because you feel called to do so. As she talked I was reminded of the phrase "finding your true north"--which, in the literal sense, is finding your way by the north star when you've lost your compass, but metaphorically is something more akin to finding what you were meant to do.

Rev. Brownlie was asking us to recall times we followed the star and how they led us to unexpected places... and I thought to myself, Yeah, like a UU church in Southwest Virginia! I was amazed to realize that the entire makeup of my life as I know it now required making those kinds of decisions; getting my MFA led to meeting Tim which led to me moving here which led to us starting a business together...

It's pretty remarkable but I feel that I've actually arrived at the place I'd been trying so hard to get to all those long years. It brought tears to my eyes as I thought, And now all I have to do is enjoy it--and keep listening for that still small voice, saying "this way..."

Posted: Sun - January 7, 2007 at 10:51 PM           |

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