How’s your journey?  Where will you end up?  In the Middle Ages it was believed that there was paradise on earth.  This place located in the Near East was described as having perfect beauty, peace and immortality for believers.  It was thought to be the Garden of Eden that the Bible describes in the Book of Genesis.  This garden was said to be never have been destroyed with the fall of man.

In William Morris’ Earthy Paradise was a collection of narrative poems that dealt in its prologue about the flight of Norse sailors from the Black Death and their search for an earthly paradise.   Americans in their journey however are involved with everyday realities.  Some are known to attend school for years, have careers, be affiliated with religious groups, and have families.  Some meet strangers and enjoy learning about diversified cultures.  Christians believe in life after death, but some non-believers don’t know what to expect.  Regardless of our beliefs, we’re all on a journey and we know we’ll eventually die.  But, Christians believe after death they will rise again and reside in heaven.

Right Comfort

 As they journey Americans wish to do so quickly and comfortably.  There are a lot of products promoted in stores to accomplish these ends.  Consumers use the best services, right chairs, adjustable mechanisms, or stay in a Comfort Inns.  They wish to sleep well and improve their home efficiency by having comfort in every room.  Some use a water furnace and have a Geothermal Unit, with satellite TV programs that are easily accessible and convenient.  Others ride a hybrid and comfort bike-shopper for buying groceries.  Some ladies are known to wear a Comfort-Sports Bra when playing sports.  With these right comforts we’re all moving rapidly along in style.  But, where are we going?  Where will we end up?

No Destination

 Some folks that are journeying but they don’t appear to have any clear destination in mind.  We take flights with our imagination and may even descend to the underworld.  This has been the motif of stories in mythology and folklore.  In these stories, a descent is generally made to capture an abducted person, or someone who has died.  It’s also to seize treasure, or to discover secrets about the rulers of the underworld.  Myths like these appear in Greek, Jewish, Slavic, Hindu, Chinese and Japanese mythology.

We don’t even have to reflect mentally on folklore, for these circumstances are played out in real life.  Persons journeying are involved in chases, crime, burglaries, interludes, drama, fiction, murder, assassinations, discoveries, and a myriad of intrigue.  In our diverse vocations we take trips along different avenues in our lives.  Where?  Some may ask.  It’s everywhere, in all directions, doing good and bad.  Nevertheless Scripture is clear that the kingdom of heaven is won by grace.  Some bad characters will surely end up in the same place with reasonably good men and women.

Our Inner Voice

Our inner voice seems to be on a journey of its own. Often it praises us for successes which we enjoy.  Then, there’s disillusionment.  Some situations seem bizarre and we wonder where we’re heading.  At other times, our psyches assure us that we’re right to be happy.  Maybe because we’ve won scholarships to prestigious universities, or, have been honored as man or woman of the year in Time magazine.  In your minds’ eye we picture the accolades.  Having reflected on how blessed we are, we thank our stars for our good fortune.

Our inner voices may take other flights.  As we’re journeying we reason how conscientious we have been at work.  Having no reservations about our thoughts, we seem encouraged about some good people in the world.  Soon dissolution creeps in.  We start doubting what we really believe.  We feel now that we deserve more from life.  People we observe are not treating us as kindly as we think they should.  Our feelings are now interspersed with anxiety attacks but why?  To us, these seem to reveal some basic need that we can’t quite put your finger on.  We’ve to have friends, colleagues with whom we can talk and share some of our innermost thoughts.

We have tried psychiatrists but that don’t seem to help the way we wish.  Our thinking directs us to latch on to Christian friends to help find answers that appear to be evading us.  This we’ll try first before seeing our priests for counseling.  In church we find ourselves surrounded by Christian love and we did discover in our Christian friends, gems we met at Barnes & Noble.  They are pious, goodhearted and strike us as having happy dispositions.  Our thoughts have begun to be peaceful as we journey on, for in them we’ve found what we believe as real peace and happiness.  We reasoned, it’s not fame or fortune that matters most, but contentment and inner-happiness.  We presently believe, “We’re set in life and ready for God’s Kingdom.”