Oh the Places You'll Go

I am sure most everyone has read the Dr. Seuss book, “Oh the Places You’ll Go”. It is one of my kid’s favorites. In fact I knew we needed to expand our horizons when I didn’t even need to read the words anymore, I could quote the book from memory.

It is amazing how much wisdom is hidden in the whimsical rhyme of that book.

In fact, every once in a while I come to the place he talks about where “there the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked.”
“Do [I] dare to stay out? Do [I] dare to go in? How much can [I] lose? How much can [I] win?

And if [I] go in, should [I] turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? ….(If you can continue quoting, you too may have read this book a few too many times. )

We have really enjoyed some wonderful moments in this adoption journey, and of course there have also been plenty of challenges.

I started to consider some of the growth that comes from overcoming difficulties. We really have been very blessed, and the difficulties have been few in comparison, however they have been there, and sometimes surprisingly strong. As Jacob says, “there must be opposition in all things.” Occasionally you can measure the potential for good in what you are doing with the amount of opposition you are feeling. I believe this is one of those times.

During the brief moments of opposition we have visited some scary places.

Occasionally we have taken up residence in the castle of contentment, those were the good days, but we have also spent too many nights in the den of distress and the abode of anxiety. Not that we have any huge reason to make the trip, but occasionally we have even visited the city of self pity. That is an awful place.

I was thinking how the "natural man” seems to enjoy those places. For me, I picture my ‘natural man’ like Smaegol (Gollum) in “Lord of the Rings”, constantly following me around pretending to be my friend and leading me to good places, but really he isn’t interested in my welfare at all… “We wants it, we needs it. Must have the precious. Sneaky little hobbitses.”

Once I realize I have allowed Gollum to lead me to a place I would rather not be, he seems to whine, “it’s not so bad here, come this way, we can rest in this cave… then you see the giant spider webs!

Once you are in “one of these not so good places” the natural man starts reasoning you’re too tired to make the effort to leave today. Don’t bother reading scriptures or praying, let’s spend the time analyzing the angst, acknowledging the apprehension, and meditating misery...you’ll find lots of [carnal] security in that.”

In the scriptures we learn that if the devil had his way, we would all be sunk in capital of awful places… “the gulf of misery”. Helaman was especially descriptive of the devil’s efforts to lead us there. Helaman says, “when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.”

In our lives we have felt the wind and the storm just enough to know we need shelter.
“And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation.” (Helaman 5:12)

When I start to feel shaky, and I have recently, I have found it doesn’t help to shake your fist at the storm. The shaking I feel should give me a clue that I have walked away from “the Rock”, my only sure foundation.

One of the places I want to go, and stay, is “the Rock”, the only sure foundation. No matter how fierce the storm, and strong the wind, as long as I stay there, I’ll be okay.