40 Ways My Labyrinth is Like My Life--#24

24. You can't get lost. . . unless you've neglected maintenance.

As we've discussed before, there is only one path in a labyrinth, and as long as you stay on it and don't turn back, you'll always reach the center. There is, therefore, only one way to get lost, and that's if the path is overgrown and impossible to see. Believe me, there have been times when I, who know this particular labyrinth intimately, down to its smallest pebble, stand in confusion, looking around me, trying to find my bearings since I can't find the path. Didn't I just come down that path? Do you pass the red and gold raspberries before you walk the round that goes outside the bush cherries, or after? I'll lean over and take a close look at where I think corners ought to be, because they tend to be faintly visible even in choking weeds. Then, when I find a corner, I'm still not sure which way the path is going at that point, and more than once I've ended up going in circles and passing the same spot twice.

In life, there's only one path, too. It's the Way of Love, shown and lit by God. There's a sort of beacon in every soul that draws one to that Way, but if the beacon isn't regularly polished by prayer and meditation, if the "edgings" of life aren't trimmed by study of the Words God has sent us, and paths aren't weeded by consistently choosing to turn away from practices which are destructive both of the self and of others, it's easy to get lost, and to find oneself on the same unhealthy path one determined yesterday to leave forever.

When this happens, there are several things to try. Stand still. Look more closely. Take your time. Pray for help. Holler for help! Take it when it comes, but be sure the person who offers it actually does get you closer to your goal--the Center. If this doesn't happen, thank the person, wish him or her well, and seek other help.

This can take time. Years. Trust me, I've learned this the hard way! But you do know--somehow--when you're back on the right path again. Even in darkness, weeds, and gloom, there will be a sense of "yes." Isaiah 30:21 puts it this way: "Your ears shall hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way, walk in it.'" I've heard that voice. I've kept walking. I've found Light. I promise.

And if you still feel confused and worried. . . read the next post!