"We are not home yet. Such a perspective is essential to finishing well. Closing a significant chapter of life does not always mean a perfect ending. Or an ending where we get everything we want. Some closures remain open-ended. Not all the expectations are met. Not all the wrongs are righted. Not all questions are answered. Just as it was God who closed the door of the ark, it will be the divine hand, not ours, that closes such chapters."
-David W.F.Wong in his book "Finishing Well: Closing Life's Significant Chapters"
This paragraph stopped me in my tracks. Whether we are already home or not home yet is debatable depending on the context. That's not the main part that caught my attention. I've been thinking about closures (that's what got me into buying the book as I scanned through the contents page). I used to think that everything should have its proper closure, as far as my part is concerned, and that probably led me to try too hard. Now I'm thinking, perhaps there are some things that just ain't that important. Leave it and move on.
But of course, I need divine wisdom to know the difference between letting God close certain doors and not confronting issues that need to be dealt with.
5 comments:
Closure is a nice idea - but in my life it so often hasn't happened. I even wrote a blog entry on this last year, remember? http://blueforestsoapbox.blogspot.com/2008/03/no-closure-but-life-goes-on-and.html#comments
It would be nice! But...
Just to clarify... the blog entry is about love life but I'm afraid it's the same with my parents, and with other uncomfortable relationships...
But life can go on - and pleasantly, too!
heh... i was just about to say that my closures aren't exactly about love life in that sense and your 2nd comment came to clarify things!
but yea, lotsa things just gotta be left hanging. i used to think that time would heal, but the book i'm reading puts it in a different way - it's not about forgetting what has happened, but it's about God helping us to forget the bitterness...
After 3 (or has it been 4?), the book is STILL on my yet-to-be-read list. haih... maybe you can prepare a 1 page summary of each chapter while you're at it ;)
it's actually an easy-to-read book - big fonts and easy-to-understand words (compare yancey with singaporean style!)
what's on ur top 3?
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