Not too long ago, a friend of mine could not understand why I didn't enjoy gardening or planting flowers. She could not understand why I would prefer to build sandcastles over gardening. To her, sandcastles quickly become washed away, while with planting flowers you see the fruition of your labors. This way you having something more tangible for you and others to enjoy, to have something left behind.
While I understand why she would feel this way -- wanting tangible results of your toil -- she did not grasp my perspective. It all boils down to enjoying the journey on your way to your destination, or your desired end result.
Yes, the goal may be the same, your destination may be the same, but what are you doing to get there? Are you enjoying yourself? Are you learning anything along the road? Also, without smaller, manageable, short-term goals along the way, the end goal would never be reached because you would give up along the journey, for nothing would be keeping you going. You would not find it worth it: worth the struggle, the hard times, the low points. Your endurance would suffer.
Sandcastles, for example, may seem temporary, fleeting, not worth the time a person spends in building, where the coming tide quickly comes and washes it away. But what of the joy one has from the feel of sand running through his/her fingers, the cold, wet sand forming shapes beneath the fingers. What about the delight of knowing that there are individual grains coming together too make one structure, reminding you of how we are all one part of the Lord's body, joining together in unified purpose for something special. And what of the Father playing in the sand with their child, the expression of creativity that reminds you that God makes you unique, as every "castle" is. Moments in time that you will never have back, sure
Sure, it won't last the test of time, because it was a temporary thing, as it was meant to be. You can always take the photos and memories to go with it. But even flowers fade and die, but did you enjoy the process, did you enjoy what you received out of it?
Life is often so serious, that one can forget to take joy from it. It can become tedious, repetitious, stale, tiresome. If all one does is focus on the long range goals, yeah, they'll get there -- sometimes that's what keeps them going -- the end result. It makes all there hard work and effort worth it. And if that is your motivation, what drives you, delights you, GO FOR IT!!! But what about the times you get weary, you need to be inspired, to get back in touch with who you are doing things for? What are of your example to them? Work hard, there's no time for fun? Focus on the results, you don't need to enjoy the journey?
Consider this, could it be, that a "sandcastle" could just be a means of enjoyment, a respite, that can be given out to others? Like a cup of cold water, some encouragement, that may be needed to "energize," "inspire," "encourage" you in this marathon of life, and by doing so, it blesses me, because it's my way of giving forth, my way of expressing who I am, and it has value, just as the work and dedication you put into your tasks have value. Both types are needed. Both are important.
"Sandcastles" are like bubbles, bubble wrap, butterflies, mere vapors in the air. They are fleeting, short-lived, and yet, it gives forth something wonderful. Perhaps, it is but merely a break, a quick drink of refreshing water, before going back to the task at hand, but it is still necessary. Yes, your accomplishments may become glorious, last the test of time, leave a tangible legacy for those who follow you. But what I leave may be an important -- or at least, a necessary part -- in the road to your success. For we are only different components of the same project, purposes knitted together, to provide something quite beautiful, to reach the required end result. Sometimes, it is the seemingly, "unrequired" or hidden part of a process is what can make the end what it is.
"For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function" (Romans 12:4).
Differences and diversity is what it is about. If God did not want it this way, He would have made us all the same. Copies of one another. We are all needed. Each of us have something very different to contribute, a different task to do, a different way of expressing ourselves, and the Bodycould never be all that the Lord has intended, without all of our parts.
So let's us rejoice the Lord together in serving Him in the place and in the capacity to which we are called. Being who we are called to be and enjoying our journeys in the process.
