Why I’m Grateful for Where I’ve Been

Mentor, Wayne Dyer

“In a universe that’s an intelligent system with a divine creative force supporting it, there simply can be no accidents. As tough as it is to acknowledge, you had to go through what you went through in order to get to where you are today, and the evidence is that you did.” -Wayne Dyer

Yesterday was a routine day, but unexpectedly, I learned something about myself and my feelings. In a world of constant change, we adapt, whether consciously or subconsciously. A couple of decades ago we moved to a small farm town. Without moving again, we now live in a large and fast growing city.

I was jogging a path which I have jogged on for over twenty years. It used to be a dirt access road but was paved a while back. I started my run at the Old Steel Bridge where the path leads through wetlands of thriving cattails and dozens of other plant species.

As I rounded the first bend and rose above the wetlands, the typical view of the mountains was blocked by the shells of a dozen or so new houses under construction. As I continued, the view cleared. Snow covered mountains formed the backdrop as I jogged along fields. I saw a couple of familiar small farmhouses and a barn in the distance. I lost focus of my run and began feeling emotional, but I really didn’t know why.

Absorbed by my surroundings, I stopped running. I heard the sound of hammers and power tools behind me. I thought about how grateful I have been for this trail, then and now. I believe that gratitude brings out the best part of me. It cleanses the soul. Since I was distracted anyway, I texted a friend about an appointment next week. I mentioned that I was feeling emotional and commented, “I’m surprised. I’m not an activist, but as I’m out jogging I realize that this is about the last remaining pasture along my trail (the whole rural setting being displaced by development). There’s plenty of fresh manure in the fields, but the cattle have all moved out. I’m sure new houses will come next. A part of my world has changed, gone forever… I don’t know why, but something just struck an emotional chord and I think my eyes are starting to tear up.” As I shook out my emotions I pondered my feelings.

The population in this part of the county has grown tenfold since we moved here, and the growth is accelerating.

As I got back into my running, magpies were playing along a fence near the farmhouses.

For the next few months this place will hum with construction. The magpies will move away. Across the river the same thing will be happen during this same year, thousands of new homes. Thousands of families will represent tens of thousands of individuals, each with their own dreams, building their own memories. Looking back, in the very same space the people who went before me lived and evolved in yet a different world: you can still see the remnants of a road leading to a ferry crossing from over a hundred years ago.

Living in the west, it is evident that there are many places where the scenery is so much bigger than the impact of human activity. It looks nearly the same through the decades or the centuries. Within that environment people come and go through time and space. Each one leaves their mark in time as they evolve and others take over the future. As a part of the universe, we are constantly changing and interacting with our environment. As I move forward through time I am grateful for the time and space God has allotted me.