A Special Picnic

On Thursday temperatures climbed into the upper 80s -- a record-setting day. Even though it was a bit windy, My Love decided that it was time for the first picnic of the year. So, she packed up the hamburgers, hot dogs, cookies, drinks, charcoal, lighter fluid, and her parents and headed down to Spring Lake.

While she was preparing the fire for the grilling, her folks went down by the lake to sit on a bench where they could watch the geese. Two were nesting nearby, keeping a wary eye on them lest they present some sort of threat to the eggs, which the setting goose faithfully turned from time to time. Other geese, and even a pair of mallards, skimmed across the water, honking and splashing as they took off or landed in the beautiful sunshine.

I joined them for lunch and enjoyed the refreshing outdoors with its brisk breeze, leaves beginning to pop out, and the wonder of the birds singing. After the long winter, it was easy to appreciate the beauty of spring once again.

I was reminded of the difference I had discovered many years ago when I went to Africa for the first time. There I saw people who had small, simple shacks that they called home. Yet, as I observed them, I realized that they lived outside, and sometimes they went inside. That is, they cooked outside, they worked outside, they visited people outdoors, they shopped in the outdoor market. Then, at night they might go inside to sleep.

We, on the other hand, live inside, and sometimes we go outside. Most of our life's activities are accomplished inside the walls of our home, our office, our church, etc., and we only go outside to go from one inside to another. Maybe that is why it is such a treat to enjoy a picnic, or go camping for the weekend, or spend a day fishing at the lake. There seems to be a hunger within us to get outside, plant our feet once again on real soil and come in contact with our roots.

Yet, on a spiritual level, the opposite seems to be the case. When it comes to our own person, we prefer to live outside while ignoring our inner hungers. We busy ourselves with all sorts of activities and noises so that we cannot hear the still, small voice within. We distract ourselves with activity in order to not notice the cravings in our heart.

Then, once in a while we venture inside ourselves, but that is not where we are primarily comfortable. It is only for a rare picnic that we take a trip to our inner sanctuary. But we prefer not to stay too long.

Where would you rather live?