The Skill to See What Awaits

We’ll never arrive at what’s next if we refuse to venture from what is.  

Yesterday’s post (The LOST Art of Ending Well) offered ideas on how all projects and creations have a natural life-cycle. When we ignore that, we set camp in the status quo and things eventually grow stagnant. Worse, we miss the invitation to explore new terrain with God.  

I was recently discussing this topic with Dave, an avid outdoorsman friend of mine. When I used the analogy of setting camp, it reminded him of a story that touched on this theme…by way of a hammock. I’m told this story is from best-selling author Peggy Noonan’s blog in The Wall Street Journal (though I couldn’t find the link to include here). 

“At a recent 100th birthday party, a man shared wisdom with friends. He said there are two words we don’t honor enough. One is ‘over’ and the other is ‘next.’ 

“There’s a kind of hammock between the two and it is right now, this moment we’re sharing.  

“He was saying: Be present. But as he talked, I heard embedded within his words a layer of advice. That it’s actually a key skill to be able to see when something’s over, when it’s the past, not the future; that you have to have eyes that can find the next area of constructiveness, which may take time; and in the time between—the hammock—you must maintain your peace and poise.” 

The skill to see what awaits. That’s what we’re after here. The first step? Spend time with God in the hammock between what’s “over” and what’s “next.”

Order your copy of The Story of With here.