You Are Not Here
Do you remembershopping malls?
Before Covid. And the internet. When we could drive ourselves to the then coolest place to hang out with friends.
Inside the mall was a large map on each floor with a diagram of the retailers and restaurants. On the map was an X followed by the words:
YOU ARE HERE
It is reassuring to know where you are.
But for me, I was directionally challenged, so this map could have been more helpful. I never knew where here was, so I would wander around the mall until I arrived at my destination.
Now I wonder:
What if we were standing in front of a map of our life?
Our maps would look different, as each life journey is entirely unique, but they are all used similarly: to navigate and symbolize.
What would your map look like?
Mine would chart my life's zigzagged routes and accidental (or divine) pinpoints. It would include all the missteps, misdirection, and mistakes and likely reveal the uncertain, circuitous course I have taken to get to… today.
For some of us who thought we would have arrived by now, we may see a big X in the middle of our life map with the words:
YOU ARE NOT HERE
What do you mean? What happened?
I thought I would be there by now.
Well, the map says otherwise. The route was confusing.
The directions were unclear. The compass broke.
We got lost along the way. We ran out of gas.
Our engine quit.
The boat sank.
We go from wanderlust to wondering… will we ever get there?
Does it even matter now?
If you look closely, under the big X of your life map and the bold reminder that you are not here, there are encouraging words that are often hard to believe…
… you are exactly where you are supposed to be.
