Here a few Exits (chapters) from my most recent published book, "Digest of the Broken Road Traveler: Fifty-Two Tenets, Truths, and Teachings to Heal the Troubled Soul."
The book is broken down into four Waypoints, each with thirteen Exits (chapters)...think of the Exits as Rest Stops along the troubled road. (Forgive the rough html formatting please)
EXIT TWELVE ~ NO DEED WITHOUT PURPOSE
A purposeless man was asked to clean a boat. He had just experienced the death of his dear wife, but in his deep despondency, felt the urge to stay busy. Running the only marine cleaning service in his seaside village, he was called upon by a local resident who was expecting a visit from his adult children. Although his boat was lightly damaged and dirty, his kin would surely expect an outing on the water.
The purposeless man arrived at the dock outside the man’s home to find him nowhere about, but the boat already lifted from the water. So he settled into his task at hand. Starting on the deck and cabin areas, it took several hours before he began working on the outside.
As he made his way underneath the craft, the purposeless man noticed some damage, as well as a hole that went all the way through the hull. Having the proper materials available in his bag, he easily plugged the hole and repaired the blemishes before completing his cleaning job.
When unable to find the owner around his property, the purposeless man simply shrugged and walked away. The man could find him later and pay...or not. It really didn’t matter. The job had no other purpose than to keep him from thinking about his loss and pain.
Three days later, the boat owner came to the shop of the purposeless man and presented him with a big check. Actually, it was a great deal more money than what would be expected for such a job. The purposeless man was surprised and said, "Sir, this is way more than I normally charge for cleaning a boat.” "But this is not just for the cleaning job,” the man replied. “I owe you so much more. You repaired the hole.”
"Oh,” the purposeless man answered. “But in truth, it was such a simple repair, and making more money from you was not my purpose.”
"Not your purpose,” the boat owner came back. “You don’t understand. You were to clean my boat. Yes. But the next day the hull repairman was to come by as well. He didn’t. My children unexpectedly did, and I, on the other hand, was not yet home.”
“Did they take the boat out?” the purposeless man asked.
The boat owner took a deep breath and answered, “Yes. They took the boat out. And when I came home and saw their luggage there, but the boat gone, I was beside myself with dread and panic. I surely thought they had gone to their death. Imagine my joy and relief when I saw them safely return to the dock.”
The purposeless man then said, “You must’ve been relieved.”
“Indeed,” the man came back. “It was then that I examined the boat and found that you had repaired the hole. It is true that I did not hire you for that purpose, my friend. But you saved my children, and for that, I could never pay enough to have witnessed the true purpose in your heart."
EXIT TWENTY-FIVE ~ EMERGE STRONGER FROM STRUGGLE
A boy was riding his bicycle and decided to take a different route home. In doing so, he came upon an extremely steep incline and made it halfway up before the exertion turned him back. The hill was quite a struggle, so he decided he’d rather go back to his usual, easier trek home.
Stopping at the bottom of the hill to catch his breath, the boy took a seat on the ground and noticed a bush with dozens of silky cocoons right beside him. What most drew his attention were two that were fairly close to one another. Gazing at the first cocoon put the lad in a state of awe. He witnessed an emerging insect push its way through an incredibly small slit in the casing. It seemed impossible. Yet, it burst free and gingerly pranced a few inches away on thin legs to unfurl its wings. Then, after it slowly fanned them up and down a few times, a gorgeous new Monarch butterfly took flight.
With great anticipation, the thrilled boy turned his attention to the other cocoon with a slit in its casing. He waited and watched as the soon-to-be butterfly moved and pushed and squeezed against the thin slit but seemed to make no headway. Fearing that the butterfly would soon die from its efforts, the boy took out his pocket knife and widened the cocoon’s gap.
With the ease created by the boy’s cut, the butterfly emerged but appeared feeble and unable to stand on its tiny legs. Still, he expected to see the spreading of beautiful wings at any moment. After all, had he not come along and helped, this butterfly would have surely died.
The butterfly’s wings, however, did not spread. The boy continued to watch and wait, thinking that nature just takes its time with such things. Not long after, he would witness the undeveloped butterfly make a single attempt to crawl away from the cocoon, lose its balance, and fall to the ground.
Thinking for several long moments about what he had just witnessed, the boy quickly got back on his bike, turned it toward the top of the hill, and peddled with all his might. Reaching the top this time, he briefly stopped to flutter his arms up and down a few times and acknowledge the soreness in his legs.
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The second butterfly was unable to live because it did not experience the necessary toil of emerging from its cocoon. It needed the pressure of squeezing through the narrow gap to force special fluid in its body to move into and expand its legs and wings. Without nature’s designed labor, it was unable to fly or live.
It's often the emergence from life’s struggles that give you the strength to become something truly beautiful.
EXIT FORTY-FOUR ~ LIVE LIFE LIKE A DOG
Rupert certainly had a rough day. His faithful dog Caleb, a fourteen-year-old Labrador, had to be put down. It seems that time had caught up with the old fellow and his organs were failing. Sadly, the veterinarian could do nothing to stop the fatal decline and recommended immediate euthanasia. So it was done. And at the end of the day, a grief-stricken Rupert lay down his head to sleep.
In his sleep, Rupert was comforted by one of God’s angels, who exclaimed to the saddened soul that Caleb was well and very happy sitting at the side of the Lord. With despondency in his voice, Rupert professed that he would be sad without his companion and asked the angel why God had given dogs such a brief life.
The aura around the angel brightened as he softly answered Rupert, “My child, your own soul came to God’s Earth to learn of unconditional love, and how it can bring you the blessings of a good life. But dogs already love unconditionally. They have no lessons to learn, but only lessons to impart. And Caleb has done so with you now. You know that in your heart. So his need here is complete.”
Just as the angel began to fade from his dream, Rupert remarked, “I will miss him dearly. Without him, I’m not sure how I’ll live.”
“Rupert!” the angel quickly replied. “Have you learned nothing from him? You’ll live just as Caleb lived. You’ll give love deeply. You’ll expect and appreciate being loved by others. You’ll live brave, yet kind, and have a humble and simple existence. Yes, you’ll live as sweet Caleb did, Rupert. You’ll live life like a dog.”
What our souls can learn from our faithful companions:
~ Love unconditionally.
~ Be forever faithful and loyal.
~ Never pretend to be someone you’re not.
~ When your loved one comes home, run to greet them with joy.
~ Appreciate attention from others and let their touch thrill you.
~ If what you want is buried, don’t stop digging until you find it.
~ Find peace in the simple joy of a long walk.
~ Take every opportunity to go for a joyride.
~ Let the fresh air and wind in your face be pure bliss.
~ When you’re happy, dance and wag your entire body.
~ Run, romp, and play every day.
~ Delight in taking naps.
~ Stretch before rising.
~ On warm days, just lie back for a while in the grass.
~ On hot days, lie back for a while under a shady tree.
~ Never bite when a purposeful growl will suffice.
And most importantly,
~ When someone you love is having a bad day, sit close, be silent, and gently nuzzle them.
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Why not do your best now to live life like a dog?