There is a short stretch of path near my home that meanders through a stand of lanky pines hemmed in by newly budding dogwoods. An ornate lamppost stands sentinel there spreading soft pools of yellow light in the early morning. Stepping into the glow, I am reminded of the first book that captured my heart and soul.
And, I was forever changed by it.
“This is the land of Narnia,’ said the Faun, ‘where we are now; all that lies between the lamp-post and the great castle of Cair Paravel on the eastern sea.”
― C.S. Lewis, “The Chronicles of Narnia”
I have read a multitude of books since my childhood introduction to the land of Narnia, but this one book was the jumping-off point into a lifetime of reading and writing that has stuck with me even through today.
Looking back, I realize that this was a pivotal moment in my life. It was the moment that I knew I wanted to be a writer. We all have pivotal moments in our lives although we may not recognize them as such when they occur. They offer us a split second of clarity at a precise moment in time. Some of them are tragic, some are beautiful, some are grand. And, some are as simple as reading a book.
These moments, be they big or small, provide us with new viewpoints. New insights. And, quite possibly, define our future.
One could argue that we are going through a momentous pivotal moment right now. This uncertain time has certainly changed my life and my perspective. At times, it has brought chaos. But it has also brought clarity and insight. It has offered me time to reflect and discern what is truly valuable.
Some days from now, probably more than I care to think about, we will return to our previous way of life. We will all, once again, be too busy, too tired, and too stressed out. We will look back at this time and wish that we had done something more with it. Something more meaningful. Something more valuable.
So, let’s just assume that this is, in fact, a pivotal moment in our lives. Let’s not waste it. Let’s approach it with a spirit of self-discovery and ask ourselves what lessons or purpose might be waiting for us.
What are you longing to do that you haven’t done yet? What pivotal moments in your life have you overlooked or forgotten? What did they tell you about yourself? What messages might you have missed?
Decide what it is that calls to you, what you love, and then take just one step toward it. And then, take one more. And then, just keep walking in the direction of your dream and don’t ever, ever stop. Finally, eventually, one day, you will get there. And when you turn around and look back down the long path you have traveled, you will be amazed at how far you have come.
“Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different …”
― C.S. Lewis, “The Chronicles of Narnia”
