Rails of Live

The rails that crisscross the countryside and cut through cities
have long captured people's imaginations. Just the idea of taking a
ride on a luxury train, an express commuter line, or a cargo train
can evoke a sense of freedom, adventure, or romance. Trains are like
people in that they must inevitably arrive at their destinations.
They make scheduled and unscheduled stops along the way and move at
their different speeds. Some trains can travel for hours and are
mindful of only a single destination; other trains meander from busy
stop to busy stop. The route and purpose of any train may change as
the years go by.

Our lives stretch out in front and behind us like train tracks, and
we are the train, its passengers, and the engineer. The way you
choose to live your life and the goals you are working toward are
the route and destinations you have chosen. Like a passenger riding
a train, you have the choice to get on and off, find new routes,
pick new places to visit, or just stop and enjoy the view for
awhile. Perhaps you like to move quickly through life as if you were
an express train. Or maybe, like a commuter passenger, you like
taking the same routes over and over again. You may even want to
stop just riding along and choose a different direction you'd like
your life to take.

If you have examined the tracks of your life and are feeling
unsatisfied, you may want to explore the changes you can make to
find a more fulfilling path to follow. Perhaps you'd like to slow
down a little bit more and take a windier path rather than just
traveling down the straight and narrow. Or maybe, you'd like to
experience your life more as an adventure rather than just a ride
that gets you where you need to go. Changing your route can
sometimes give you a chance to "get on the right track." You may
even discover that the something new you've been waiting for is just
around the bend.


When we lose anything that we cherish, the sense of emptiness we are
left behind with can be overwhelming. A space that was filled,
whether in our lives or our hearts, is now a void, and the feelings
of pain, loss, and separation can sometimes be difficult to bear.
While it is always important to honor what we've lost, sometimes a
loss can also represent a chance for a new beginning. When we are
ready, the void left by a relationship, a job, or a dream can then
be viewed as open space that can be filled with something new: new
experiences, new knowledge, new job opportunities, new dreams, new
people, and new ways to grow.

There are many ways to weave the threads of loss into a blessing. If
you've lost a job or ended a relationship, your first thoughts may
revolve around filling the void with a similar job or the same kind
of relationship. Try not to rush into anything just to fill up the
emptiness. The loss of a job can free you up to explore new
opportunities, especially if you've outgrown the old one. Likewise,
the loss of a relationship can give you a chance to rediscover your
own interests, explore new passions, and meet different people.

If seeking the good in what seems like a bad situation makes you
feel uncomfortable, then try to remember that you are not devaluing
what you've lost or replacing it cold-heartedly. You are
surrendering to the fact that, in life, we sometimes have to let go
and allow for what is new to enter into the open spaces created by
our losses. In doing so, you are honoring what has left you and
welcoming the new into your life with open space, an open mind, and
an open heart.