My oldest son worries about getting lost.  He’s the middle child, so I guess it makes
sense, bookended as he is by his sister and twin brothers. 

One morning as we dropped his sister off at school and headed
toward the other side of town to pick up his friend for preschool, I rounded a
corner with a little more oomph than usual and he noticed, asking, “Boy, Mom,
are you having fun driving?” 

“Yeah,” I said, “driving is fun.”  Then I added, “Do you look forward to driving
someday?  Do you think it’ll be fun?”

“No.  Well . . . I guess so, but I worry about what to do if
I get lost,” he says, his little voice traveling the distance from the back of
the van; that little voice that’s filled with not-so-little worries. 

Sometimes if we’re driving somewhere new or happen to take a
different route home he pipes up to ask whether I’m lost or not.  Usually I’m not, but I do have a more intuitive
sense of direction and have been known to, on occasion, make my way toward a
new destination via slowly decreasing circles comprised of wrong turns and
false starts.

We’ve tried explaining maps to him, how they show where you
are and how to get to where you want to go, but it’s all a bit too much for a four-and-a-half-year-old to take in.  Besides,
I think what he’s expressing is more of a feeling, a fear or anxiety, rather
than a desire for concrete information.  What he really wants to know is if he’s going to be ok and
whether he’s in good hands and can relax.  

When he does relax, he sits leaning forward, staring out the window, letting
his eyes glide along until they come to rest on whatever thing he happens to be
obsessed with at the moment.  From the
time he could talk, he fervently pointed out every piece of construction
equipment within eyesight as we drove on long trips up 81 or out across the
PA turnpike.  This past summer, he found
and exclaimed over every “peltic” cross in Carlisle during our many trips
through town.   

That morning as we slowed and I put on my blinker and pulled
around yet another corner, I said “Well, if you get lost, you stop and ask
someone where you are and they’ll help you figure out how to get home.” 

That was it, and, for once, the simple answer seemed to
satisfy. 

We all have times when we feel lost, confused and uncertain
of where we are or where we’re going.  Maps
can be helpful, but sometimes you just need to pull over and ask for
help.  Sometimes you need a living,
breathing person, someone who’s right at home in the place where you feel most lost; someone who can reorient you, holding your
hand and heart long enough that you can begin to hear again the voice that calls
you toward Home. 

*   *   *

Ever feel like you’re lost and in need of direction, but you don’t know where to turn?  I’d like to highlight my friend Tom Kaden’s ministry, Someone To Tell It To.  Tom Kaden and his business partner, Michael Gingerich, started Someone To Tell It To as a non-profit counseling ministry which “specializes in offering support to those with life-threatening health concerns, especially those with cancer, to families liivng with disabilities, and for those searching to find meaning and purpose for their lives.” 

The exciting part is that Tom and Michael are available to provide support locally or long-distance as they provide their services through which-ever means works best for you.  If your interested in finding out more, click on the link above.  Tom and Michael also host an excellent blog with quality writing and a depth of spiritual insight, which can also be accessed via the above link. 

*   *   *

This post is linked with Playdates With God and Hear It On Sunday, Use It On Monday.