On the Horizon

It is sometimes a challenge for me to remember the horizon.

I tend to become focused on what is in front of me. My attention gets absorbed in the immediate decision we are trying to make, the specific question we are trying to answer, the person facing me who wants my help. When I walk, I tend to look where I am taking my next step.

I need to remind myself how important it is to look for what is on the horizon.

The horizon is the line where the earth meets the sky. It is the boundary between what we can see and what is just outside our sight. There is a horizon in any direction we look; it surrounds us, and we do not know what is waiting just past the horizon.

It is helpful for me to take time regularly to stop, take a breath, and look at the horizon. The horizon reminds me that there are things I cannot see, though they may not be very far away.

It is also helpful for me to remember that whatever is coming over the horizon, into sight, may be challenging for me to see clearly. Even with my glasses, it is often difficult to tell what exactly is out there on the horizon.

Sometimes it is an approaching storm that will take away the things you most want to protect; sometimes it is the refreshing rain that you need to continue growing. It may be an avenging army, or the rescuing cavalry.

Whatever is just beyond the horizon is outside your control. It may be that the only thing to do is recognize it, and accept that it is there.

How often do you look for what is on your horizon?

What was out there on the horizon, just out of your sight, six months ago?

[Image by Cantone]