Written by Father Michael
As a child I remember one Sunday activity that was always a great adventure. “Let’s go for a ride”. The 1940’s and 50’s were periods of great adventure. The automobile was still a luxury item for many and going for a ride was filled with anticipation. Our rides were either into the city Chicago or it could be to the country, Aunt Mary’s farm or Mrs. Smith or the Dunes. Four of us kids could be good in the car without seat belts or other restraints. Today going for a ride does not conjure up great adventures. But I had one the other day my second journey in a few weeks to central Indiana.
This route was along I-65 nor the old route along 41 & 52. Along I-65 there are many shrubs and trees planted so this spring day there was a bright prism of color along the road. The verdant varieties of leaves peeking or bursting forth on the barren limbs were waiting to be dressed for summer. The flowering trees and shrubs paraded their colors in the breeze dancing forth into summer. The old roads do not have this riot of spring color. The fence posts are gone and tree lines cut down as fields are plowed from road to road.
New among all the fields are the windmills. I wonder what modern Don Quixote will write about them, what battles real or imagine will take place. Or are we so caught up in getting to our destination that we lose the wonder of the trip. We have all types of distractions in the car now, TV’s for the kids, games, snacks, music. Will there be a time for them to dream about the windmills and imagine?
Our expectations are so high today. We want to be entertained all the time. Our lives have to be stuffed full of everything and we need it all now. There is no time for waiting. I do not have a whole lot of gadgets in my cars to distract me (well the cell phone is an essential now, just like multiple cars are). So I had time to ponder as I drove.
My question was not that we had to lower our expectations, but we had to change our perspectives. It seems that we put more and more emphasis on things to make us happy instead of God and His creation. We forget that love is what will bring us happiness. Even in times of hardship it is love of God, of family, of friends that give us comfort, nourishment not things. The leaves and flowers outside your window are more beautiful then the images of Avatar .