You are not staying.
Neither am I.
We arrived here with empty hands.
We will leave with empty hands.
The question is not whether we are passing through.
The question is what we discover while we are here.
Greetings and well wishes to all whose path crosses mine.
The word SOJOURNER means temporary resident.
What a remarkable description of the human condition.
Every one of us arrives.
Every one of us departs.
And between those two events lies the great mystery called life.
THE BLUE MARBLE
I often think about this little ball we call Earth.
Suspended in the darkness of space.
Surrounded by countless other worlds.
Most appear silent.
Dust.
Rock.
Ice.
Gas.
Yet Earth makes an entirely different statement.
It bursts with life.
Trillions of living things.
Movement.
Growth.
Beauty.
Complexity.
Relationship.
Purpose.
The Earth seems to shout:
“LOOK AT ME.”
And perhaps it should.
A CREATOR’S CALLING CARD
Where others see random events, I see an invitation.
An invitation to wonder.
An invitation to inquire.
An invitation to seek.
The deeper I look, the more mystery appears.
The more mystery appears, the more convinced I become that a Creator is at work.
There is enough wonder here to occupy a curious mind forever.
WHY ARE WE HERE?
We possess remarkable tools.
A brain.
Emotions.
Five senses.
Imagination.
Curiosity.
Conscience.
Yet none of these fully answers the deeper questions.
How?
Why?
For what purpose?
Those answers seem to originate from a deeper place.
A place within.
A place of knowing.
A place that seeks truth beyond opinion.
THE INVITATION
Sometimes I imagine that long ago an invitation was written.
An invitation to the greatest event imaginable.
Life itself.
Somehow my name appeared on the guest list.
Then suddenly I found myself here.
Breathing.
Seeing.
Learning.
Experiencing.
Wondering.
I am overwhelmed by the gift.
I am delighted by the mystery.
Life itself becomes the teacher.
The lesson surrounds me.
The invitation continues.
A GUEST IN SOMEONE ELSE’S HOUSE
One realization changed everything.
This is not my house.
It belongs to another.
I am a guest.
A welcomed guest.
An invited guest.
A loved guest.
I have been granted permission to explore.
To learn.
To experience.
To contribute.
To journey with fellow travelers.
What a magnificent gift.
THE MOTION MACHINE
The human being is astonishing.
Designed to move.
Explore.
Wonder.
Discover.
Create.
Love.
Serve.
Question.
Learn.
We are motion machines traveling through a mystery.
And all of it appears deliberate.
THE INNER COMPASS
As I journey, I notice something remarkable.
A prompting.
A whisper.
A gentle guidance.
Sometimes it tells me to proceed.
Sometimes it tells me to wait.
Sometimes it says yes.
Sometimes it says no.
Others call it conscience.
Others call it the soul.
Whatever name we give it, it is one of the most valuable treasures entrusted to us.
THE CARE OF THE SOUL
I became convinced that the soul requires care.
Truth.
Goodness.
Mercy.
Justice.
Honesty.
Compassion.
Gratitude.
These things nourish it.
Bitterness starves it.
Selfishness weakens it.
Deception damages it.
The soul thrives when exposed to what is noble.
THE PURSUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Deep within I sense a calling.
Seek what is good.
Seek what is fair.
Seek what is true.
Seek what is decent.
Not merely for yourself.
For others as well.
The more I follow that instruction, the more life seems to make sense.
Perhaps the Author wants us to discover His nature through our own choices.
THE OBSTACLES
The journey is not without difficulty.
Distractions appear.
Temptations arise.
Discouragement visits.
Confusion arrives.
Yet strangely, these obstacles add value to the journey.
They test us.
Strengthen us.
Refine us.
Reveal us.
The resistance often confirms that the destination is worthwhile.
THE GREAT SEARCH
As I continue seeking, I become aware of something profound.
The search itself is an expression of love.
To seek the Author is to acknowledge His worth.
To pursue truth is to honor its Source.
To listen to the inner prompting is to cry out for guidance.
And every step taken toward the light reveals a little more of the One who placed the light there.
THE PAYOFF
One day this journey ends.
One day this chapter closes.
One day we leave this world behind.
That realization does not make life smaller.
It makes it sacred.
Every sunrise matters.
Every relationship matters.
Every act of kindness matters.
Every lesson matters.
Every moment matters.
Because we are not permanent residents.
We are sojourners.
Travelers.
Guests.
Passing through a magnificent mystery.
And when my journey ends, I hope to return the gift of life with gratitude, having pursued the Author of it with all my heart.
For I am reminded daily:
I was never meant to stay here forever.
I am a sojourner.
— Richie
Pearls for the Soul
when you feed the soul, you feed everything.
https://pearlsforthesoul.com
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