The Geography of LIfe...

Where is life?

Yes, a bit of a strange question. But one that I feel is worthwhile asking. It seems to me that there is a tacit assumption, one which is prevalent in our culture, that life is to be found 'out there', i.e. somewhere else. I can speak of 'getting out there and living life' and images from the myriad of movie scenes come to mind, the ones where the main character is 'breaking away' and on the road 'experiencing life' [cue the inspirational music and breath-taking scenery]. Isn't the sun brighter on vacation, the sky sweeter, and the air more refreshing? Is there something about the place itself that makes the colours of the trees seem more vivid? Do we have to 'get away' in order to experience life? Does familiarity really breed contempt? Is there something intrinsically different, i.e. more full of life, about any location other than our home? I think not.

It seems to me that the difference lies in ourselves. Perhaps while on vacation, we are more apt to notice the beauty around us, we are more likely to breath deep and be present in the moment. Is it that once we 'escape' our normal surroundings we are then able to be receptive to the world as it really is: full of life.

Where is life? The answer is that life is all around us. It is in the air we breath and in the ground we walk on. Where can you find it? You can find it at our homes and at our jobs. It's in our family and our friends, in the strangers we pass by every day without a second thought. We simply don't pay attention to the fullness of life that surrounds us daily. We get used to our daily lives and gloss over the beauty that it holds. We get so wrapped-up in the worries of the day that we cannot see what is all around us. In every corner of our daily travels abundant life springs out at us.

But, what do I mean when I say life? I mean life as understood within the Christian Tradition: I mean 'fullness'. I mean glory, beauty, transcendent love... life. I mean nothing short of the overflowing presence of the divine. God is life; He is the source and summit of all life. The Scriptures refer to God as him "who fills all in all". What do I mean when I say that all around us 'abundant life springs out at us'? I mean nothing less than everywhere God is present. And if we only have eyes to see, we will find, often to our surprise, His radiant glory filling the world around. We will see magic, mystery, and wonder at every turn. We will find ourselves in awe of the fullness that surrounds us. We will find ourselves always and everywhere in the presence of the Divine.

Where is life? It's right here and we can live it if only we desire to. We can see it, if only we're willing. If you're looking for life, put the map away and look around: it's right in front of you.