Why Am I Here?

We are all getting a chance to slow down. To pause. And, to breathe a little bit. A chance to step back and look at our lives from a distance. And, maybe ponder the question: “Why am I here?”

And that’s where the story begins.

Birth

Life is like a journey on a train. We board the train at birth. For the rest of our lives we ride the rails, with all its twists and turns.

People will come from all different parts to see you, the baby. They’ll bring gifts. Some of those people will make the entire journey with you. Others you’ll never see again. That’s okay. 

We meet our parents on that day. For a long time we believe they are perfect. They are not. Neither are we.

Some of us are born out of love. Some of us are born out of passion. Some of us are born out of pure happenstance. Regardless, we are all riding the same set of rails, at some forty-five hundred heartbeats an hour.

Fortunately, our lives are not dictated by the terms of our conception. God wanted you on the train. God needed you in the land of hopes and dreams. It’s the “why” that seems to trouble us.

We believe that our parents will always travel by our side. They will not. At times the train will stop abruptly. One of your parents may get off and disappear into the fog. You’ll be lucky if you have a chance to say goodbye. They’ll leave the memories. They’ll leave the friendships. They’ll leave everything they own. It’ll be up to you to sort it all out; the good, the bad and the ugly.

As time goes by, other people will board the train. Early in your journey, some of them will look like you and share your name. This will happen again later in your life.

We won’t all ride in the same class of travel. Some ride in first class. Others ride in Coach.

Yes, they are drinking imported coffee and wines from Tuscany, but they are not any happier or better than you. You’re both riding on the same train, aren’t you?

The train will be crowded. Some people will seek to be liked by everyone, including by total strangers. Don’t do that. You are simply not everyone’s cup of tea. Find your people. Stay in your row.

Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

If you’re lucky enough to get a window seat, you’ll get to see the world fly by. The train racing through time. Each snapshot only there for us now, once.

The long range view allows ample time to absorb the intricacies of the landscape in slow motion. Time to focus on every house, every church bell tower, every tree lined street. Each has a story to tell.

As your field of vision narrows, time speeds up. Everything is a blur. Like watching a movie at 4x the normal speed. It’s impossible to see anything clearly, until the train slows….or stops

As the train pulls into the station, your window on the world affords you the opportunity to see more clearly. Those who board the train from the worst stations will require the most help.

The lonely old man, the troubled addict who talks to himself, the single mother yearning for sleep, the friendless young boy tapping the back of your seat. Every single one, a story worth exploring.

Most of the time you cannot see where you are going by simply looking out the train window. But, from time to time you’ll have an opportunity to make decisions on the train’s direction. When given the opportunity, choose the track less traveled. It’s about the journey, not the destination, after all. The only direction you cannot go is backwards.

As you journey onward, you’ll meet lots of folks. You’ll meet the love of your life. You’ll meet your children. You’ll meet your friends. Each will take their seat on the train and….

…some people will stay for the rest of your journey and leave an indelible mark on your soul. Some may step down over time and leave a permanent vacuum. Still others will make so little impact on you that you don’t even realize they left. Let them go. If only to make room for others.

Very few people will make the whole trip with you. Only those who truly believe in you will complete the journey, no matter what happens.

The trip is full of joy & sorrow, loves & losses, hellos & goodbyes. At times the journey will be all downhill. Then it’s uphill. 

See, some people and things just aren’t meant for you, no matter how much you wish they were. It’s simply okay for some things not to work out. 

Eventually life is downhill again. But, in between the uphill and downhill it’s full of long, boring, flat stretches of travel. 

Breathe in through the uphill, hold on through the downhill. Relax and enjoy the flat stretches of the journey. 

The train is constantly in motion, those big wheels churning forward. But, we must always be prepared to disembark at any moment.

We must live in the best way. We must love. We must forgive. We must eschew anger and regret. We must offer the best of who we are. We must seek to leave behind beautiful memories and friendships, such that your empty seat leaves an indelible mark on others who will continue the journey. (For within 75 years or so, nobody left on this earth will have even known you.)

When the train bell tolls for thee and you reach the final station, you’ll want to know that your life mattered. That you were significant in some way. That the world was somehow changed for you having been in it for a brief period of time.

Like the window on the world, your life can only be evaluated by taking the long range view. Up close is simply a blur; a moment in time during a very long journey. The long range view allows for appropriate time and perspective.

-You listened to the lonely, widowed man who shared sweet stories about his deceased wife. Your comfort brought him peace.

-You counseled the troubled addict when no one else would. Your kindness brought him sobriety. He learned to counsel others and saved thousands of lives.

-You gently rocked the crying baby to sleep while the single mother napped. The rest brought her patience to teach her child to read. The child later became a Doctor.

-You befriended the young boy tapping the back of your seat-when he needed to feel special. He grew up and became a Pastor.

We will leave it all behind. These kindred spirits that were interwoven into the motion picture of our lives.

And, we will learn in the end, that our greatest impact came from the smallest of gestures. And that, my friend, is the reason why you are here. To enhance, even in some small way, the journey of those around you.

If you enjoyed this story please help me expand my audience by sharing on Facebook.

Share on Facebook