The Adventurous Path, Part 1

Dina Cavazos

Sometimes life just plods along like an old horse, weary of carrying people on its back, the only excitement being a (hopefully) tasty morsel at the end of it. Sometimes it feels like there is no real purpose to the plodding, day after day. Some lucky horses have more adventurous lives, but a horse probably doesn’t even think about it; it simply experiences, moment to moment, drudgery, hunger, pleasure, excitement, or whatever else the day brings.

Thankfully, I, being human, am able to think beyond today. I have a spiritual dimension that longs to connect with its source, who is God. Since childhood, the questions “Who am I?”, “Why am I here?” and “What am I supposed to do?” have tugged and pulled and stirred. These questions have caused me to seek in places high and low. These questions dangled themselves in front of my lostness and led me into the pathless forest of life, looking for a way through. I was looking for meaning, truth, adventure—there had to be something worth living for. I didn’t know it at the time, but I wasn’t lost in the dark all alone.

Feeling lost is lonely: the lack of direction, the lack of connection, the dead weight of troubles and unanswered questions made me feel like an old tired horse. But something kept me going, and, fortunately,  my searching spirit was met by its Source, pursuing and waiting for me to come home. I finally did. I finally found the path home through the forest.  When I realized that the path is a Person who called himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and not a path of my own making, everything changed. 

It wasn’t easy; at first I was assailed by doubts. Could I believe the incredulous gospel story? Could it be true? In my lostness, I was inclined to believe far-out notions that sounded like sci-fi. Why shouldn’t I believe this story that was rooted in history, enduring for thousands of years? I made a choice to believe. It was tenuous at first, but my conviction grew stronger as I exercised faith. Over the years, there were ups and downs, and I meandered away from the Path a few times; but I always came back, and I can say my feet are now  firmly planted in Him.

 Now I know who I am, why I’m here, and what I’m supposed to do. I am not merely plodding through life for a tasty morsel at the end. He provides a well of living water to drink from each day, and he himself is the bread of life. In the story where Jesus turns water into wine, Mary, his mother said something very wise and very pointed: “Whatever he says, do it.” That’s the way I want to live my life. There is nothing more satisfying, rewarding, or adventurous. In part 2, I’ll share one of my adventures with God you won’t want to miss!

Originally written and published August 2022