Someone Changed the Script

The Turning Feral Devotional - Day 62

“Someone has altered the script.

My lines have been changed…

I thought I was writing this play.

-Madeleine L’Engle

Day 62 - I often find myself sitting in the woods wondering about what it is I am looking for in life. I’ve explored the world, yet found myself settled in the smallest town in the US. I’ve loved and I’ve lost. I’ve succeeded and failed. I’ve learned and I’ve also let stubbornness keep me from growth. I’ve accepted pain and betrayed tenderness. I’ve hurt and been hurt. I’ve lived out the full spectrum of human emotion, many times over, and it all pushed me toward a physical place that I love… a place where I feel most connected to my Maker.

But, with all of that – that arc of humanness – I still often feel empty. Why? Is it not enough to desire a life of sustainability that pushes us back to the land and closer to nature? Well, the short answer is no, and I think it can be summed up in a passage by Pascal written back in the 1600’s:

“We are never living, but hoping to live; and whilst we are always preparing to be happy, it is certain, we never shall be so, if we aspire to no other happiness than what can be enjoyed in this life.”

Wow. Chew on that for a moment. I, for one, have been chasing earthly joy for my entire adult life. Relationships, experiences, money, ego, and yes – pursuing a more modest life of sustainability and hunting. It’s becoming clear to me that my desire for a self-sustained life in the woods is no different than when I lived in Moscow, Russia and sought the material things that made life in that city desirable and comfortable.

Is one more virtuous and natural? Sure. But at the root they are the same – they are joys that can only be lived out in this current celestial plane. So, what then? Are we bound to not enjoy anything in this life? I don’t believe so. But, I do believe that Pascal’s writing is pointing our consciousness in a certain direction, a direction that we maybe can’t see clearly – and our real joy is destined for something that comes in our next lives.

Now, that doesn’t mean we have a pass to give up on life, but instead we must recognize that joy is a byproduct of living a life that has a higher purpose and is driven by building a closer relationship with our creator. Whether that connection comes to you in the form of high-falutin city living or in a modest self-sustained mountain life is up to you, but we are all destined to build our own tapestry of understanding-seeking through human emotion. Just remember, the game is rigged and the answers are already out there for us to find.

Daily Prompt: What is your arc? What emotions, failures, and obstacles have aligned to land you where you are now? Do all signs point you back toward a central goal of understanding the ‘why’ in life? Does that give you clarity in purpose or muddy the waters?:

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Motivational Passage: 

“All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end… This is the motive of every action of every man. But example teaches us little. No resemblance is ever so perfect that there is not some slight difference, and hence we expect that our hope will not be deceived on this occasion as before. And thus, while the present never satisfies us, experience dupes us and from misfortune to misfortune leads us to death.”

-Pascal

Rewilding Action: We’ve talked a lot about backups in the event of power failure, e.g. solar, gas generators, etc… But, one item I have grown fond of for short term power outages are small backup battery packs. These packs can keep certain appliances running for ~3 hours, which is usually more than enough time for your local power company to fix an issue. So, if you are living in an area with more short term power issues, these can be a great alternative to more expensive longer-term backup energy solutions.