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A tale of a sea lion who had lost the sea
I recently heard a story that I found quite striking, which seems to parallel so well what many are going through in these days. Here is how I heard the story told:
Adapted from a longer story in "The Journey of Desire," by John Eldredge.
Once upon a time, there lived a sea lion who had lost the sea.
He lived in a country known as the Barren Lands. High on a plateau, far from any coast, it was a place so dry and dusty that it could only be called a desert. A kind of coarse grass grew in patches here and there, and a few trees were scattered across the horizon. But mostly, it was dust. And sometimes wind, which together make one very thirsty. Of course, it must seem strange to you that such a beautiful creature should wind up in a desert at all. He was, mind you, a sea lion. But things like this do happen.
How the sea lion came to the Barren Lands, no one could remember. It all seemed so very long ago. So long, in fact, it appeared as though he had always been there. Not that he belonged in such an arid place. How could that be? He was, after all, a sea lion. But as you know, once you have lived so long in a certain spot, no matter how odd, you come to think of it as home.... ...
I know that many of us lately have felt stranded in a place that we know is not home, and we don't know how to get out of it to find the place where we should be. I myself believe that there is such a place for each one of us -- for each one of you, my friends, who struggles with being a beautiful creature in a barren land, yearning to be where you were meant to be and not stuck in a land of dry wind and thirst.
If you have ever felt like this, or are feeling this way now, today, then please know that I am thinking of you, specifically you, during this time. I want you all to know that I am praying for each one of you who feels lost and uncertain -- by name -- that you will not lose hope, as you continue to seek a way out of your Barren Land, and that you not fall into thinking that it must be your home, because you have been there so long. I am praying that you find your way out of that Barren Land where you currently tarry, and come to the sea home where you were meant to be.
(((((My dear ones)))))
Adapted from a longer story in "The Journey of Desire," by John Eldredge.
Once upon a time, there lived a sea lion who had lost the sea.
He lived in a country known as the Barren Lands. High on a plateau, far from any coast, it was a place so dry and dusty that it could only be called a desert. A kind of coarse grass grew in patches here and there, and a few trees were scattered across the horizon. But mostly, it was dust. And sometimes wind, which together make one very thirsty. Of course, it must seem strange to you that such a beautiful creature should wind up in a desert at all. He was, mind you, a sea lion. But things like this do happen.
How the sea lion came to the Barren Lands, no one could remember. It all seemed so very long ago. So long, in fact, it appeared as though he had always been there. Not that he belonged in such an arid place. How could that be? He was, after all, a sea lion. But as you know, once you have lived so long in a certain spot, no matter how odd, you come to think of it as home.... ...
I know that many of us lately have felt stranded in a place that we know is not home, and we don't know how to get out of it to find the place where we should be. I myself believe that there is such a place for each one of us -- for each one of you, my friends, who struggles with being a beautiful creature in a barren land, yearning to be where you were meant to be and not stuck in a land of dry wind and thirst.
If you have ever felt like this, or are feeling this way now, today, then please know that I am thinking of you, specifically you, during this time. I want you all to know that I am praying for each one of you who feels lost and uncertain -- by name -- that you will not lose hope, as you continue to seek a way out of your Barren Land, and that you not fall into thinking that it must be your home, because you have been there so long. I am praying that you find your way out of that Barren Land where you currently tarry, and come to the sea home where you were meant to be.
(((((My dear ones)))))
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One thing we do have in common: we are all beautiful creatures. :)
((((Lin)))) Thank you for this, my dear friend!
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Hello
Re: Hello
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*in best Forrest Gump voice* That's all I have to say about that.
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What's new with you -- any word on your job with the bro? Mark heard anything yet?