I went to the pharmacy and market today. I was in luck! They had everything that I needed. Then I remembered that someone told me about a walking path across the street from the market. Feeling adventurous I decided to try it. After crossing a bridge over a stream that rushed over, under and around rocks I found myself on the path greeting bike riders and fellow walkers. Words of affirmation written in chalk lined the walkway and I was uplifted reading the encouragement under my feet. The value of trying something new everyday became apparent to me.
As I rounded a bend a huge baseball diamond came into view. The gate was open. At first I walked past it. Then I turned around and peered inside. There were no signs prohibiting access, so I gingerly stepped through the gate waiting for someone to yell that it was closed. But no one protested. Maybe I’d walk around the outfield and feel the spongy grass. Something stopped me. That was too common. In a sheer spark of gutsiness, I stepped up to home plate. Still self-conscious I clasped my hands around an imaginary bat. Before I could take a breath the pitch came and I swung. I watched the imaginary ball spiral into the blue sky and land in the far outreaches of the stadium. I jogged around the bases, considering sliding into home base, but just jumped on the plate. The fans went wild. A home run! Everyone needs a home run sometimes.
I left the field and joined the others on the path. No one seemed to have witnessed the home run. New thoughts were popping into my mind – maybe I’d wash the car or cook something new when I got home.
As adults sometimes we need to be zany, irrational, nonconforming, creative and radical. I was not a rebellious teenager so anything that makes me step out of a restrictive frame is exhilarating to me. The role of our imaginations and playfulness cannot be overstated. They are essential to enhance our experiences and remind us of our uniqueness. I’m talking about spirit…keeping our spirits alive while we negotiate changes in and around us. Dream, imagine, risk no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. They are Divinely ordered.
