Before allowing Timmy, to walk to school alone his mother asked her neighbour Shirley Goodnest if she would follow him at a distance. Shirley agreed, since she went walking with her toddler anyway.
Later Timmy鈥檚 mother asked him how he enjoyed walking to school alone. 鈥淲ell I鈥檓 not really alone,鈥� he said. 鈥淪hirley Goodnest and her daughter are following me everyday.鈥�
鈥淒oes that bother you,鈥� asked the mother?
鈥淣o,鈥� said Timmy. 鈥淚t says in the bible 鈥楽hirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow you all the days of your life.鈥� And I might as well get used to it.鈥�
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This is the time of year when graduates are leaving the nest and setting out on life鈥檚 journey. Parents can鈥檛 shadow them at a distance, but along with teachers, clergy and neighbours, parents have done what they can to prepare these young adults for life鈥檚 journey.
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The temptation is to be long on advice and to panic when the day of parting arrives. A better approach is to be long on prayer, and trust that with God鈥檚 help and all the guidance and encouragement that has been offered, it will be a good journey.
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A sage added this instruction when setting out on life鈥檚 journey: Take some extra food and clothes for the poor you will meet on the way.
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Life is a great journey, especially if we set out with all the support and love of parents, teachers and community. There are many twists, turns and challenges, but choosing our travel companions wisely will more than compensate.
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Imagine travelling through life with God at your side? God has already given us angels to be with us constantly. And seriously, the Lord is our Shepherd, always seeking our safety, giving us space to choose our course. We might as well get used to it!
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God does not have any bad days. Think about that in a travel companion!
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Life has many good surprises. More if God is with you. There never is a reason to fear; only to trust.
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Good habits of daily introspection and prayer will assist us on our journey. A Zen proverb says, 鈥淵ou should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day 鈥� unless you鈥檙e too busy. Then you should sit for an hour.鈥�
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C.S. Lewis said, 鈥淚 pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time- waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God - it changes me.鈥�
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I would like to conclude with a personal suggestion from Francis Thompson about staying a child at heart:
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