Early in the morning on the day after Christmas, I sat out on the back deck of the cabin, our “home for the holidays” in the mountains of Gatlinburg. It was so cold I could see my breath in front of me, mingling with the steam rising up from the full mug of coffee that I held in my gloved hands.
I was curled up in a wooden rocking chair beneath a cozy, wool blanket, still in my pajamas with the addition of a sweatshirt, thick socks and fleece hat pulled down low to cover my ears.
I had woken to a view from my third story window of what looked to be the beginnings of a magnificent sunrise coming up over the rolling mountains in the distance. The view and serenity it created beckoned me outside despite the frosty temperature.
While the rest of my family lay sleeping soundly, snug in their beds, I sat cocooned in the warmth of color bursting into the morning sky and cascading back down over the miniscule chalets that were nestled into the side of the mountain with circles of smoke rising up from their chimneys.
I wondered if there was anyone else in the world at that moment enjoying the spectacular display of glowing orange, cool purples and fiery reds God was painting in the sky before my very eyes.
It was a momentary flash of beauty, fading away almost as quickly as it had come as the sun moved higher and the sky developed into a clear blue.
As the scene before me transpired, I couldn’t help but think of the symbolism it held to the passing decade that looms on the horizon.
It seems like it was just yesterday when the world was facing the Y2K scare as a new century was set to unfold. Fears of the future caused anxiety among our nation, not knowing that panic would ultimately be unfounded.
There would be more disturbing distresses occurring in the first decade of the twenty-first century.
Who would have ever imagined that September 11th was just around the corner? The attack on the World Trade Centers in New York would not only rock our world, it changed the way we all live and think and act. The incident, as tragic as it was, reminded us that life is precious and each day is a special gift. Normal and usual kind of folks became heroes for their acts of bravery and fortitude, and our eyes became opened to the way our world is changing.
Mother Nature took center stage this past decade for some devastating acts including a tsunami that killed nearly 300,000 people throughout Indonesia and the Pacific Rim.
Locally, Katrina surpassed the memories of Camille as a new generation was exposed to the impact of hurricanes and the ravages she left behind in our city and state. As a community, we learned that what did not break us would make us stronger as we sought to find positives in the aftermath. We discovered unity and cooperation among neighbors, and we were the recipients of love and good will from people all over the globe. Though we were humbled, we discovered our resiliency and became fervent for a better future.
The past ten years could also be described by the extreme advances in technology. We have become a people both isolated and connected by our computers, cell phones, cameras and televisions. We are isolated physically, yet connected with electronic tools in such a way that is changing the principles of privacy and moral behavior. We’ve lost the importance of face to face contact and our ability to communicate has been reduced to a series of abbreviations and shortened words that take less time to spell while we text and instant message about the personal details of our lives. Facebook and Google have become not only wildly successful internet businesses, they have become part of our everyday English language. Have you Googled yourself lately? You should!
Overall, in the last decade our lives have changed drastically, some for the better, some for the not-so-much-better. But the point is, we are continuing to evolve.
People change, nations change, our environment will change and the one constant in all of it is time. Time just keeps on rolling along.
Just like that beautiful sunrise that inspired me and brought me great satisfaction and peace, if I would’ve blinked almost, I could’ve missed it.
As I lay in my bed and first opened my eyes to the pre-show of God’s glory, I could have just rolled over and gone back to sleep. But I would’ve missed it.
I could have watched the sunrise from the comfort of inside, but it was the struggle and effort to get wrapped up, protected from the elements and situated outside that truly made it the experience that it was.
As we approach a new decade, I encourage you, don’t miss out on a single second. Go through the struggles and efforts to pursue your dreams. Be a part of God’s glory and blessings. Make the most of the fading and fleeting beauty of life. We never know what’s just around the corner, and before we know it, another decade will be here and gone.
It is my wish, that your new year and each and every day is filled with beauty, adventure, peace and promise. God bless you and happy new year!
