XVII. Some things to think about

XVII. Some things for you to think about.

                So Hobblestone had yet another proof that he God was always taking care of him, especially when he had trouble realizing it. God was using people such as his parents, Aunt Millificent, Harry, his uncle in Topeka, Virgil and many others many times and in many ways, and his visit with Aunt Millificent left him thinking about these things. He successfully crossed the bridge back to the Good Place.

Rule # 90: Gratitude opens the bridge back to the Good Place.

Things for you to think about: Who are the people that God has put in your life as instruments  of his care for you? Is it possible that he might be using you that way in someone else’s life? Can you remember a time in your life when you thought things were going wrong when in retrospect you realize that someone was watching out for you?

But God wasn’t doing all the work himself. Hobblestone had to cooperate, just like you and I had to cooperate. Hobblestone was the one who had to make a conscious, deliberate decision to cross the bridges which opened up before him. And one bridge led to another. But without that first step . . .

It makes me wonder. How many times has God laid a bridge before me which I chose not to cross? What have I missed out by resisting? How about you? We’re back to that fork in the road that Robert Frost wrote about back in section II.

A lot of those questions are unanswerable. At least on this side of the grave, assuming that there are two sides to the grave. Which I do. And I bet you do, too, because if you didn’t, I doubt you’d still be reading this blog. But who am I to make assumptions? Maybe you are, so if you are, think more about these things, would you?

Anyway, there’s a rule we should take a look at. Keep it if you think it makes sense to you.

Rule # 134: Sometimes we don’t cross the bridges what would lead us to a New Way of Living. When that happens, we lose out on something, and we’ll never know what is we lost.

                Ah . . . if only we could tell where our decisions would take us! But life is a mystery . A mystery we sometimes never get to figure out. And as much as we don’t like it, for some reason it’s better that way. Maybe it will all get sorted out , like I said before, on the other side of the grave. But here in this life, we just have to keep praying for Wisdom and Guidance. And if a mystery does unravel itself, be grateful. If it doesn’t, be patient.  

Rule # 67: Life is a mystery.

Rule # 68: You are a mystery.

Rule # 69: Stop trying to figure out what can’t be figured out.

While I’m on the subject: Please don’t forget that you are indeed a precious, unique, beautiful and complex mystery. There are many facets to you, some of which you haven’t even discovered yet. And if you’re like me, there are some parts of you that you can’t even figure out yourself. So how could anyone else. And how dare you, or anyone, assume that you have someone else all figured out. And if ever someone comes along who tells you “I have you all figured out,” run in the other direction as fast as you can, because you’re dealing with an idiot who can only see life in one dimension. I’ll never be able to figure out people like that!

We can sum this up with a statement by Charles Dickens (A Tale of Two Cities):

A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other.

                But on the other hand, if you think you have someone All Figured Out, think again. And if possible, apologize. And in the future, pepper your conversations with humble yet honest disclaimers such as:

·         I may be mistaken, but it seems . . .

·         I don’t know you well enough to . . .

·         There’s an observation I’d like to make—I’m not sure it applies to your situation because only you can know that, but . . .

·         I don’t know what I’d do if I were in your shoes, but . . .

·         Here are some things it might be helpful for you to consider . . .

At this point, it would be a good idea for you to make up a few of your own and practice them just in case a situation arises where you’re tempted to sound like a know-it-all. I don’t know about you, but I usually don’t waste my time getting into any kind of involved discussion with a know-it-all.

I’d like to tell you  one thing at this point. But if it doesn’t apply to you, just let it be. After all, you’re a mystery to me. Anyway, here’s what I want to say. Whenever we open our minds to consider something that we’ve never considered before, there is a possibility that we are about to undergo a significant Transformation in our lives.

Some of you  might be wondering exactly what I mean by Transformation. That’s a very good question, and I promise to answer it in the next entry. Really.

                In the meantime, take a look around your brain and consider if there are any mysteries in your life that you haven’t been able to figure out, and if there are, try to just let them be. It will reduce your stress level. But maybe I’m wrong because I don’t know you well enough.

                And to get started, here are a few things that you can’t figure out yet. Let them be: 1) How old is Hobblestone now? 2) Was Aunt Millificent ever married? 3) How to deal with difficult people.