"til we find our place..."

"It's the circle of Life,
and it moves us all,
through despair and hope,
through faith and love.

Till we find our place
on the path unwinding...
In the circle,
the circle of Life..."

Do you remember sitting in the darkened movie theatre with your toddler, preschooler, gradeschool-age child, or friend...and hearing the first stirrings of Africa rising like a drumbeat
through the theater.  That song, "The Circle of Life," still gives me chills. 

As it did the other day, when my grandson was visiting.  I'd put one of our vintage Disney Hi-Ho Sing-along DVDs on to, well, to sing-along with, and from the moment I heard that first "Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba, Sithi uhm ingonyama..." I was fighting back the tears.  

How did 17 years go by so fast?  Here I was holding the precious son, of the beloved daughter I'd first seen this movie with, at another time, and in another place...so long ago.  It was unsettling....and lovely. 

It wasn't just that the years had melted into moments, but that I could see the evolution of my own thinking about life and my purpose here, on this planet. 

As I listened to that opening song, I realized that my path has been circular. And thank goodness it has.   It's sometimes been a hard climb, and often felt like an insurmountably rugged way.  But, by taking a circuitous path, I have been able to make progress in baby steps...and trust me, I needed baby steps. 

I am not a "vertical" climber...I am a hiker.  I walk around the mountain, rather than trying to scale solid granite rock faces, in a day.    But when you are walking in a circluar pattern, it is almost impossible to see very far ahead of you.   And it requires trust.   Trust that moving in the direction of the sun, is up...trust, that as long as you keep moving, you will go up...however incrementally and slow.   And even though this often meant that I couldn't anticipate the amazing scenery that was coming, I was equally protected from seeing..and worrying about...the challenges I would face.

These past few years, I really haven't had any choice but, to "just put one foot in front of the other."  But, because I couldn't see too far ahead, or linger on views behind me,  I've found that, moment-by-moment, I really have been able to take at least one more step forward...however difficult...in this circle of life. 

Not seeing too far ahead, I wasn't tempted to rush towards this precious moment of delighting in the presence of one sweet little boy.  And by not being able to fixate on the path behind me, it was impossible for me to cling to bygone days...days that I might never have wanted to leave.  A circular path kept me moving...and I am grateful.

And anyway, if I am really clear about why I'm on this life journey,  I am not looking out in front of me...or behind me...I am looking up.  That's my destination anyway...just closer to Him.

Mary Baker Eddy, makes reference to the Psalmist's encouragement, when she says,

"Step by step will those who trust Him find
that "God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble."

Step-by-step...for me...it is the circle of life, and I am finding that it moves us all through despair and hope, through faith and love...  I've gathered some lovely wildflowers along the way, seen some incredible views...but nothing compares with feeling the sun...the warmth of His Love...on my face.

We just have to trust, take the next step...and keep looking up...with Love,

Kate


*I thought you might like the option of hearing/seeing Elton John's more ballad-like video  of "Circle of Life" including playful lion cubs...enjoy.