Echoes in Eternity
“What we do in life echoes in eternity.” - Maximus Decimus Meridius, Gladiator.
I’ve had an amazing drive tonight. I think a lot of it had to do with remembering some old songs, listening to some CD’s from the height of my life, and generally accepting that to have happiness, I need to create it. It’s amazing how life can fade away and God reminds you that there is more.
My great uncle passed away this week. Following a friend that I used to work with that died last month. Both were the type of people that spending five to ten minutes around was uplifting, and you walked away with a better day and a smile on your face. I remember many times where he was aggravating someone that was down, sometimes me, always making everyone feel better, always stealing the room. My other friend was the type that always encouraged me to be a better person, to remember what life’s about. It’s hard in life when the pillars that are men such as these move on, but it made me think a lot about impact and purpose.
I’ve felt recently, at least the last couple of years that I’ve had a lacking in purpose. Sure, I know what God commands me to do, but I mean a specific task that I can get passionate about. Then I remembered Amy Newhouse. It’s funny how my life keeps coming back to that single moment in high school. Let me explain a bit about Amy.
She was a young lady that always had a smile on her face, had the most beautiful curly hair, and was never fake with anyone. I was the strange boy, a nerd, that was sitting with my parents in church at 13, afraid to talk to anyone, severely depressed with no purpose. She changed my life. Every Sunday, she would ask me to come sit with her and her friends. Eventually I gave in, and the rest of my life was changed because of her. She was a truly amazing person that accepted everyone for who they were, and showed them love. A couple of years later, she was diagnosed with cancer and later passed away. I will never forget how packed her funeral was. There were hundreds if not thousands of people at her funeral. It still blows my mind that a single person can have that much impact on the world. And almost every one of those people touched would instantly tell you about the glow that Amy put off when you were around her, even through her struggle with cancer, and how her impact has changed their life. Now they have made a movie about her, “A Greater Yes”. I haven’t seen it yet, but I guarantee to you that I will. In Dave Ramsey’s words, she was the type of person that didn’t let life happen to her, she happened to life.
It’s shaming really, that in my everyday life, I’ve lost glimpse of that. Every person I come across, every circumstance I find myself in, could be me 15 years ago, alone, afraid, and almost ready to give up. My purpose has never changed. I’ve just lost my way. I think it’s time to stop letting life happen to me. I am tired of being powerless, I think it’s time to make an impact again.
There is more to life than the daily grind, the commute, your job, school, your relationship. I think before you can prioritize any of that, you need to find your drive, your passion. I found mine again, I just pray that I have the strength to stay with it this time. I think that for us to be whole, we must find that drive. In speaking with another friend, there’s a few things that are required.
First, if you are in a bad way, find peace. I am not saying to settle, just accept where you are. Second, you need to learn to hold your head high again. After you achieve that, you just need to remember what it’s all about, and get at it. I’ll let you know how my path has gone soon, I hope some of you join with me.
