He thought then he had chosen a high road and would walk it to the end, whereas I know now that roads choose us and what they unfold before us is not the person we want to be, but the person we already are, the person time slowly discloses to us.
Holloway, Richard (2012-03-01). Leaving Alexandria: A Memoir of Faith and Doubt (pp. 10-11). Canongate Books. Kindle Edition.
Another book I’ve started reading this Lent is “Leaving Alexandria”. I heard about it the other night listening to a BBC4 program that my cousin Dan recommended to me. To be honest, I’m not sure what to think about the book yet… I thought it would be a little more theological in nature. It appears to be an autobiography. But I’m not too far beyond the 12th page, yet, so I’ll hold off judgement.
The quote above, though, did catch my attention. It’s an intriquing thought “roads choose us, and… unfold.. the person we already are…” I think that quote goes hand in hand with yet another quote from that book:
The toughest lesson life teaches is the difference between who you wanted to be and who you actually are.
Holloway, Richard (2012-03-01). Leaving Alexandria: A Memoir of Faith and Doubt (p. 10). Canongate Books. Kindle Edition.
I find this rather poetic, sitting here, thinking back on all the people I thought I wanted to be, seeing the reality of who I am. I’m not particularly disappointed, mind you, but I’m not what my day dreams led me to think I’d become!
Going to Yukon, OK, this weekend, so no posts until Monday. God bless you all this weekend!
On The Road II 
Your post reflects something I’m reading, “The Dance” by Oriah Mountain Dreamer. In a dream, one of her spirit elders, whom she calls the Grandmothers, comes to her to advise, “The question is not why are we so infrequently the people we really want to be. The question is why do we so infrequently want to be the people we really are. Because you have no faith that who you are is enough.” A few paragraphs later (as she is reacting to this dream) she realizes this: “who we are by our essential nature is enough; that we are right now in this moment capable of being compassionate and fully present in the intimate relationship with ourselves, the world, and the Mystery; that we are all we need to be by our nature; there is no need for self improvement; that we live our soul’s deepest desires not by intending to change who we are but by intending to be who we are.” (The Dance, Oriah Mountain Dreamer, pp 14-15.)
Have a blessed weekend my friend!
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