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THE STATION
By Robert J. Hastings
TUCKED AWAY in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision
in which we see ourselves on a long journey that spans an entire
continent. We're traveling by train
and, from the windows, we drink in the passing scenes of cars on nearby
highways, of children waving at crossings, of cattle grazing in distant
pastures, of smoke pouring from power plants, of row upon row upon row of
cotton and corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of city skylines and
village halls.
But uppermost in our conscious minds is our final
destination--for at a certain hour and on a given day, our train will finally
pull into the Station with bells ringing, flags waving, and bands playing. And once that day comes, so many wonderful
dreams will come true. So restlessly,
we pace the aisles and count the miles, peering ahead, waiting, waiting,
waiting for the Station.
"Yes, when we reach the Station, that will be
it!" we promise ourselves.
"When we're eighteen. . . win that promotion. . . put the last kid
through college. . . buy that 450SL Mercedes-Benz. . . have a nest egg for retirement!"
From that day on we will all live happily ever
after.
Sooner or later, however, we must
realize there is no Station in this life, no one earthly place to arrive at
once and for all. The journey is the
joy. The Station is an illusion--it
constantly outdistances us. Yesterday's
a memory, tomorrow's a dream. Yesterday
belongs to a history, tomorrow belongs to God.
Yesterday's a fading sunset, tomorrow's a faint sunrise. Only today is there light enough to love and
live.
So, gently close the door on
yesterday and throw the key away. It
isn't the burdens of today that drive men mad, but rather the regret over
yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who would rob us of today.
"Relish the moment" is a
good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24, "This is the day
which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
So stop pacing the aisles and
counting the miles. Instead, swim more
rivers, climb more mountains, kiss more babies, count more stars. Laugh more and cry less. Go barefoot oftener. Eat more ice cream. Ride more merry-go-rounds. Watch more sunsets. Life must be lived as we go along. The Station will come soon enough.
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