“Edges keep us curious, don’t they? Much can be said for edges. You and I live on the edges, where life churns in a kaleidoscope of activity, desires, passions, failures, interests, and relationships; here the wildness of life meets with the beauty of it. . . . I often hear people call these connections — or are they collisions? — a beautiful mess.”- Timothy D. Willard
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”- Romans 12:21 (NIV)
In Chapter 7 (“The Adventure of Holy Wayfinding: The Footpath of a Countryside Ramble”) of The Beauty Chasers, Timothy Willard takes issue with the cultural axiom, ‘Life is messy.’ Certainly, the author stresses, he sees how ‘messy’ life can get. However, Timothy asserts, a problem occurs when we say something repeatedly, to the point it becomes a cultural trope (expression). Then the meaning tends to dig into our perspective of life. Even taint it.
Furthermore, Timothy underscores, he needs no reminders about the muck of life. But the author chooses to champion an outlook that seeks to overcome evil with good. Hence, Timothy throws a curveball at our cultural lexicon. He suggests that we reset our good on the beauty our daily connections and collisions bring us.
Instead, the author refers to these connections as ‘the edges.’ Timothy explains:
“I see a collision of worlds, diverse, unique, filled with mystery, touched with delight, and tinged with sadness. Like you, I spend my entire life trying to get beyond these edges. . . . I feel an unmistakable force the pulls me out of my comfortable places and into the world of other human beings. I love the edges, even as I suffer through them.”
In conclusion, the author reiterates that edges are good. Above all, the more we walk to, into, and beyond those edges, we’ll experience, understand, and know more of the beautiful life.
Today’s question: Do you agree with the author that edges keep us curious? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Adventure along the journey”
