Another five years around the sun done and done.
The older I get, the more I realize I still have so much to learn. And I love it. Humbly aware of my ignorance: this strikes me as a safe place to be.
At some point in the last five years, I fell in love with Dag Hammarskjøld's Markings, a series of personal reflections that the late Swedish diplomat never intended to publish. From existential ruminations to natural observations and spiritual contemplations, Hammarksjold's writing style is like a distilled diary: none of the fluff and, at times, scathingly honest. He's not afraid to critique himself, nor neglect the beauty of being a fallible human being.
Inspired, I began to jot down little lessons and ponderings as I found them. Some of these are included here, alongside other guidelines and truisms I've garnered through things like a global pandemic, professional opportunities, books and nature, national travels and inward journeys, expectations unfulfilled, and good and beautiful things, too.
Without further ado…
Here are some things I know about living life so far:
Resist broad labels for complex issues, even if convenient.
You have yet to discover all your heroes.
Chumps go to Costco without a plan, but the wise go to Costco at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday mornings.
Learn the art of not needing to have the last word.
Anyone who says faith is a clear linear process and not a winding, arduous, unexpected journey is selling something. Anyone who's left their faith and believes they are now qualified to help you leave yours is selling something.
Never underestimate the power of a snack, a nap, and a glass of water.
You will die. This is not an excuse not to care for yourself. You will die. This is not an excuse to enslave yourself to the cult of wellness.
The Diderot effect is real. Frugality is the spiritual cure. Take Paul seriously in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12.
When you go out, refrain from ordering meals or drinks that you could prepare at home. Make novelties novel again.
Be careful with your own heart and others'. Be especially careful around those who aren't careful with their own.
When you don't know what or how to pray, pray the prayers that God never says no to: a) “Humble me” b) “Cleanse my heart” c) “Make me more like Jesus.”
Pray every time, over everything, that your spirit is prompted to.
Wake up at the same time every day regardless of how late you went to bed. The human body has no concept of 'catch-up sleep.'
Always pack an extra capo.
Comfort zones are not static: the more you satisfy them, the more they shrink. Choose the uncomfortable. Keep pushing the boundaries of your little anxieties.
Sabbath and rest are not optional.
Don’t lose your desire to walk. You can walk your way into good ideas and out of bad ideas.
Self-improvement books tell. Faerie tales show. Experience teaches.
Followers of Jesus are known by their love for one another, not by their theological prowess. Following Jesus is nothing less than obedience.
Humility, family, and locality are the best barriers to state propaganda.
Inquiry and reflection are two of the best tools in your arsenal.
It's better to help someone learn how to ask good questions than merely provide pat answers.
Work with your mind? Rest with your hands. Work with your body? Rest with your mind.
People are not backup plans.
Resist the urge to react to every swing of the cultural pendulum. Chesterton was right: dead things go with the stream and only living things can go against it. But wise things navigate the stream.
Know when to stop talking about your grief.
In the multitude of counselors is wisdom, so seek out advice from others, but don't use counsel-seeking as an excuse to put off acting when you should act. Holiness is "…the power to act as we ought, to be response-able, able to respond with appropriate power to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. The right thing at the right time." (Dallas Willard)
Silence before God is more important than ambitious productivity.
Occasionally, practice the discipline of not defending yourself.
Invest more time in your family than you think you need to.