Let There Be Light

One of my earliest and most cherished memories in life involves standing upon the front lawn of my Grandparents’ home on a sunny spring day at the tender age of five. Gazing up at the clouds in the splendor of childhood’s innocent wonderment, I stood transfixed, my thoughts dancing with amazement as I took in this stunning display. The clouds, their textures seemingly so reminiscent of living cotton prior to harvest, floated as if by magic against the stark background of a clear, majestic blue sky. Singularly focused on this magnificent panorama, I began to envision, as I imagine most of us have done, a myriad of shapes in the clouds depicting those things I was familiar with at that tender age. A horse appeared, followed by a kingly lion. Another (I fondly and bemusedly recall this one quite vividly) even reminded me of George Washington himself, riding gallantly upon his worthy steed! Thoroughly engrossed in my personal entertainment, questions began to take shape in my mind. These questions continued to develop in a natural and logically progressive way, covering “profound” mysteries such as “were the clouds really made of cotton?” or “how did they float there in the sky without falling?” Eventually, I came upon questions, at first holding no more significance than those which preceded them, that I believe all of us have asked, flowing into my young mind like water along a quickly moving stream, such as “why is the sky so blue?” “Where did the clouds come from…where did I come from…where did ANYTHING come from, and WHY? ”It occurred to me that very day that I had no idea whatsoever.
Like many children in my cherished hometown, I was ferried each Sunday morning to church...Baptist, in my case, where I attended Sunday school and morning worship services. The teachers had done an excellent job of relating all the stories from the bible, including the creation account found in Genesis. While I found this account entertaining and quite believable, something just felt “incomplete” about it, as if it were just a rough sketch. Though I was and remain fully convinced that God was responsible, I could not help but feel in my heart that, for whatever reason, He had not seen fit to reveal the details. It just seemed too simple. I was dying to know more.
That burning curiosity has never left me, and my questions have grown proportionately with time, age, and life experiences. Now, with the years flowing by and the realization that there are probably fewer sunrises ahead for me than behind, I have set myself upon the task of finding some answers. Many of you may also feel this desire…this unceasing call to explore the mysteries of our existence. Perhaps, in the coming days, weeks, and months, as I begin to share insights I have found which ring true in my spirit, you may find paths that will lead you to your own answers.
Until next time…Peace and Love!