On Walking Forward with Hope

Posted on August 3, 2016 by joanneeddy

sunrise-flight“You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope.” Thomas Merton

Indiana Jones copyDo you remember the movie “Indiana Jones, the Last Crusade?” World weary Indy, who has been everywhere and seen everything, is no believer. Perhaps, seeing hearts torn from the living in the Temple of Doom or enduring poison arrows and massive rolling boulders guarding a stone icon soured him on religion. But Henry, his father, played by Sean Connery, is just such a man.

Petra Indiana Jones copyThe elder Dr. Jones has not spent his time on artifacts, but rather searched his entire life for clues to the location of the Holy Grail, the cup Christ drank from at The Last Supper. When the Nazis shoot Henry, Indy’s only chance to save his father is to find the Grail. To do this, he has risk his own life to get past several challenges. The secret to accomplishing that is found in his father’s journal which holds the wisdom Henry has discovered over a lifetime.

tightrope-walkerOf all the scenes in any of the Indiana Jones movies, my favorite is Harrison Ford, standing on edge of an abyss, pushed to embrace stepping forward into seeming nothingness or accept his father’s death. Indy, relying on the wisdom in his father’s journal, faces the void and makes the “leap of faith.”

Have you experienced that kind of moment? A point in time when you can or perhaps must embrace the next step forward….or retreat to the tried and true.

Doug and I are looking at his retirement…and it truly appears like a step into the unknown. We haven’t quite reached it….but it is there up ahead, looming closer and coming within view.  And it is filled, if not with emptiness, with uncertainty. What will it be like for someone who has pretty much worked every day, even on vacations, to stop? What do you feel like when you have checked off every item on your to do list….and you don’t even have a list anymore? Or maybe only a bucket list. Is it wonderful freedom…or a loss of being needed…or both?

bridge with jag in path copyWe have ideas about how to fill this lack of unrelenting necessary, and do look forward to escaping the tyranny of the urgent. For me, selling my book, and researching the next. For Doug, some writing as well. For both of us, volunteering in areas of our interest and expertise.with those who have experienced trauma, veterans or victims of violence. But even given that, it seems like there is a vast unknown territory out there.

It seems to me that aging and retirement lead to both a redirection of focus that carries the exciting opportunity for a new beginning, yet simultaneously require the letting go of some of the things that give you status and recognition for who you are, of what you are expert in, or what you have achieved.

raised challice copyYesterday, Doug had a medical consult for some surgery he may have to have. In filling out the paperwork prior to the visit, I watched him fill in his occupation, his employer. The words said so much about him.  Occupation:  clergyman  Employer: First Presbyterian Church of Edenton   Just reading those words you gain clues to his interests, and at least possibly some of his skills. He is learned. A scholar. He writes and speaks well. He is great with people, caring, compassionate. He is a man of faith.

Then, he filled out a section on me.  Occupation: Retired  Employer: Blank   All my skills and areas of expertise unreported.  A blank slate…an empty slate….or a clean slate, perhaps.

heavenly bridge copyThe abyss

…the new opportunity.

Henry Jones’ journal carried this entry about the challenges Indy was to face:  “Now, he who finds the Grail must face 3 challenges. First, is the path of God: Only the penitent man shall pass. Second, is the word of God: Only in the footsteps of God, shall he proceed. Last is the breath of God: Only in a leap from the lion’s head shall he prove his worth.”

The path for Doug and for me has passed the first two challenges. Our work has taught us that we must be humble in the face of the lives that have been entrusted to us, and to seek forgiveness for the ways we have been unable to help at times. For the second,  we have tried to proceed in the paths we believe God set before our feet. Now, we face the third.

Forward in HopeFrederick Buechner says it this way: “Faith is the word that describes the direction our feet start moving when we find that we are loved. Faith is stepping out into the unknown with nothing to guide us but a hand just beyond our grasp.”

Merton’s quote tells me that we don’t have to know exactly how it will all work out, and we actually don’t even have to make a huge leap. We only need to keep walking in hope. The path really is there, as it has been all along.

hold hand

 

I trust that.  I hope as you move through your lives in the everyday moments and in the path changing moments of new direction, you can trust it, too.

There really is nothing to fear. Reach for me, and I’ll reach for you, and we can hold hands and explore those new paths together.

 

About joanneeddy

Writer living in North Carolina. Originally from upstate New York. I love my family, my community, and my friends, and embrace 'living deliberately' in the world, trying to make a difference. I have written an as yet unpublished book, The Call, an epic fantasy with historical fiction and folklore elements. My blog is for other writers, for those who love a good read, and for all who, like me, are looking to find and live their call.
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24 Responses to On Walking Forward with Hope

  1. thejuicenut says:
    August 3, 2016 at 3:26 pm

    My husband retired early a year ago and it was the best thing he did! His work was affecting his health, his spirit, family life. Now, he tells everyone he doesn’t know how he ever had time to work! He is free to pursue his cycling interests and is so much fitter. He has a social group now, his fellow club members, and he has a part-time business repairing bikes. He is so much happier. We always new we needed a plan before he retired. He needed to have something in place, we drew up a list of things that needed doing on the house and garden first that he never had time to do, so he spent the summer mostly outside, getting used to a new routine and then it all came easily afterwards. I hope you both have a long and happy retirement and find all sorts of new things to interest you. ☺️

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  2. Claremary P. Sweeney says:
    August 3, 2016 at 5:18 pm

    And you will explore wonderful new paths together, Jo. The freedom to do whatever you want is a very heady one. Charley and I absolutely love it! And you and Doug will,too. Frederick Buechner has so much wisdom to share with us and this quote is marvelously representative of his own thought process. But, I actually started this comment to say only one thing and then went off on a tangent, so, I’m back and here is what I wanted to say. You have many occupations, but on the top of that list you must place “AUTHOR” in big, bold letters. That is what you do every day. You write and you publish your posts and you work on your book. You are a true author and must announce it to the world. Please tell Doug to fix that paperwork ASAP. And as for employer? You, my dear, are self-employed and that beats it all! Love, Clare

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  3. D. Wallace Peach says:
    August 4, 2016 at 9:02 am

    Lovely post, Jo. Most of the retired people I know are busier than they were when they worked full time. The future is unknown, but I have a feeling you will find ways to enjoy the freedom. 🙂

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  4. Lynz Real Cooking says:
    August 4, 2016 at 12:24 pm

    Very inspiring Jo! New beginnings and a leap of faith

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  5. gina amos says:
    August 9, 2016 at 6:31 am

    Thanks, Jo for your post. My husband and I are beginning a new life after twenty seven years of working together in our family business. I told him recently our marriage as we know it has ended but a new one has begun!

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  6. mommermom says:
    August 9, 2016 at 11:30 pm

    I am so enjoying retirement. The biggest surprises are the things I am learning about myself! The journey and personal growth continue. Best wishes.

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