Stories are just a series of experiences. And memories are just stored experiences. And experiences are really all about our senses.
heart to heart with holley
The Rest of Your Story 21 Day Challenge Assignment: Pick a happy memory. Go thru' your five senses & write down one line for each, then ask yourself "Why is this experience important to my story?"
Here goes - tho' I couldn't quite seem to contain it to one line each so I finally quit trying :) ....
I see the morning sky above and a picturesque chasm - SO incredibly massive that it's all one can see virtually as far as they can see - and the bottom, if indeed that's what I see, just blends in w/ all rest. I'm standing where this chasm meets the sky.
I hear trees rustling in a gentle breeze.
I feel no fear - but something tells me that as I ran up to peer without fear over what appears to be a bottomless pit, my dad began to feel a bit uneasy! Soon, all my weight, and that of what's in my backpack, bears heavily on my knees as we begin our steep descent.
I taste cool, wet, sweet, refreshing water which I never quite seem to get enough of - but we're being careful to ration what we consume so we don't run out.
Finally - several hours later, we reach rock bottom of the Grand Canyon! We're spent. So tired. It's time to pitch camp - which shouldn't be too hard with the night sky as our tent and the bright moon as our nightlight.
I hear the rushing water of the Colorado River. I smell the earth as I stretch out on top of it to rest. Here, I feel a bit of fear ....that something creepy might crawl into my sleeping bag! But the God of all creation must sense that because He's spared no expense scattering what looks like diamonds(!) across the black velvet expanse above ... each and every one sparkling their brightest as if to compete for my undivided attention - thereby creating a splendid distraction.
What's the significance here?
As I wrote this, it dawned on me that this particular excerpt of my story caters to my sense of adventure and contains parallels (many I didn't touch on) to my life in general. Perhaps the two most poignant parallels "here" are:
This was perhaps the first time I remember working really hard to get where I wanted to go...& the reward ("diamonds") at the end likely would not have seemed nearly so rich if I'd not worked so hard for it.
&
In much the same way that one feels they get to know an artist better by visiting an exhibit to closely examine their artwork, I tend to feel closest to God when I am experiencing & exploring His magnificent works - so beautifully displayed throughout creation - with all five senses He's given me to help me do just that.
***
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.
Psalm 19:1- 3
