Questing…..may 28, 2010
today is the first day of the official memorial day weekend in our country….it is the weekend set aside so that we might pause from our ever busy, bustling lives and reflect and remember that some incredible men and women took a bullet so we could fire up that barbecue, fill up that pool, and invite whoever the heck we want to…when we want to….to the party….
so i went for my usual early morning run….
and these thoughts occurred to me….
memorial day weekend is a big deal…
i have a son who served in the marines and i have a recently married nephew currently serving in the army knowing he will be deployed in december, 2011….
so, memorial day is a big deal….
and it is all about freedom….
but the funny thing that i’ve learned is that even if someone very brave takes a bullet for you….
it doesn’t necessarily make you free…
i mean make you “live free.”
you can still live trapped, small, hemmed in, invisible, imprisoned if you want to….
which makes that person’s sacrifice almost more tragic than it already is…
living free is not exactly like taking a bullet but it can feel like you’re in a war….it is fighting the good fight…..
just like our soldiers who fight so valiantly for our country, there is a battle for our guts..our souls…
and here’s the thing….only you can truly know your gut….
your passion…your unique longings and mission….
you in all of your “you ness”…..
you may be mighty blessed…mighty blessed… to have folks who love you and support you but even they cannot fully know your gut….
cause it’s not their gut….it’s only your gut…
and only you know what keeps you awake at night or stirs you far before the sun rises or what brings tears to your eyes at the most unexpected times or what causes your blood to boil or
why you would take a bullet without a moment’s hesitation….
and well meaning though our loved ones may be….there are times…there are challenges…there are crossroads…. when we absolutely must know our guts and go with our guts….
and then i discovered my new favorite word….
….ZOE……….ZOE….
it’s the Greek word for “life” and it’s spelled with two little dots over the “e” only i didn’t know how to do that with my computer…so just imagine…
it means “life… as in eternal, mysterious life as opposed to the physical life – which is “bios.”
it is the word used by jesus when he announces his mission in the new testament book of john in chapter 10:
Jesus says, “i have come that they (any and everyone) might have life (ZOE) and that they (any and everyone) might have it (ZOE) abundantly.”
ZOE…LIFE ABUNDANT!!
i’d like to live zoe….
i’d like to learn to trust my gut which is where i believe zoe must begin….
i’d like to live “zoe” to best honor all those men and women who took a bullet just for me….
someone who has yet to write a book, or start a non profit, or make a compelling documentary, or run a marathon, or maintain a healthy weight…or lots of other stuff…
and without even knowing me…
they took a bullet….
so did jesus…
for my gut….so i could live zoe….
so on this first day of memorial day weekend, i will raise a glass to all those who lived and fought and died for zoe….
and with grateful voice shout,
“TO ZOE! TO ZOE!!”
“AMEN AND AMEN!”
