Why am I here? Why have I lived so long when others are gone? Why did my life go as it did and what is my future? Why did I choose to go this way in life instead of an alternative?
These are questions we may be fortunate to ask ourselves in the future if we live long enough. The alternative is hard to imagine but so true for many. Sad but true that many live a mediocre life with very little to say they accomplished. Why? Because they failed to overcome fear of the unknown instead of embracing faith in the future.
As I write on a jet plane heading back to the good ole USA, I am inspired by the events of the last few months to ask why. The plan was to travel to England, have a party for my mother-in-law who is now in her 100th year, visit friends and family, have a short vacation to Budapest, then wrap up our trip spending as much time as we could with this grand lady. All of that was achieved so I can say mission accomplished, but along the way I discovered it was much more than just a trip.
As we visited my mother-in-law just about every day, before the party, we went out with friends as well. On one occasion, we just so happened to meet a relative. She was preparing to get off work as a busy dentist and needed to move her car for another staff member who was leaving early. We had just parked our car and were walking to the pub when we heard her shouting. Some may call that a coincidence, but I prefer to call it a “God wink”. We all went to the pub together recognizing the gift. Why did this happen and what are the odds of such a coincidence? I believe it gave us a chance to visit one on one before the 100th party. You may say, who cares? I say I do because it was a once in a lifetime experience to put into our memory bank. Do you believe we are led to great memories when we step out and do things others may not do?
As the party approached, we spent more time with my wife’s mom and listened to her stories about her life. Yes, sometimes we shed a tear as she looked back at memories of her husband. Sometimes we laughed as she remembered why they did what they did during their early years of marriage. They traveled to many different countries choosing not to stay at home but to go on adventures she now has in her memories. There are always challenges when travelling but should not stop building memories.
On the night before the party, family gathered for an evening meal to spend time with each other. We built new memories to look forward to new times together. Will we precisely meet this way again? Probably not but those in attendance will remember that night for years to come. Likewise, the next day was a day we will certainly remember but unlike the earlier evening’s gathering this day will be once in a lifetime. Why? Because my wife’s mom is alive and present to share her special magic of living to the maximum without any regrets. How many of us can actually claim no regrets?
She has raised the question of why am I here? Why have I lived so long when others are gone? These questions cannot be answered by us mortals. All we can do is live according to our dreams led by our faith overcoming the fear of inaction. This time led us to our next adventure to a country we knew little about until now.
When I think of Budapest, before our trip, I think it is a nice stop if taking a river cruise along the Danube in Europe. Nice stop to see sights then back on the boat. What a naïve look at this historic beautiful place full of history and hard-fought freedom. Did the Hungarian people ask why? Yes!
The river Danube separates Buda from Pest. Buda is mountainous on one side and Pest is flatter on the other side. Lots of walking up steps on either side but a big contrast, nevertheless. Pest has multiple thermal baths which made them a target for Roman occupation well before the Germans showed up when the reign of terror started.
Victims of two murderous ideologies numbered in the millions from either attempt to gain freedom or Jewish persecution. Nazism was first then when they were freed at the end of WW2 from this totalitarian dictatorship they were enslaved again with communism. The Hungarians are very independent now and will never forget the constant threat from foreign entities claiming a utopian future. By 1956, they rose up against the communist puppet regime only to be crushed back into servitude. They paid a huge price for rebellion. The “Lads and Girls of Pest” fought bravely with Molotov cocktails against the T-54 Russian tanks, but failure was inevitable. Hungary had managed to separate themselves from the communist after WW1 and aligned themselves with Germany during WW2 which was a devastating mistake. The Nazis regime was brutal and treated the Hungarian people as slaves but then the communist gained control again after victory in WW2. The spoils of war were the Hungarian people. They never really obtained their freedom until 1989 when the Iron Curtain fell. It took another year before the last communist left, and they were declared a democratic nation in 1991.
Why did the Nazis then the communists treat the Hungarian people with so much distaste and keep them in bondage? Because they were allowed due to complacency. Why is Ukraine being bombed daily by Putin’s war machine hoping they will surrender? Same reason in that everyone else turns a blind eye hoping it will go away. Why do some survive, and others perish?
I am now home now where the news is focused only on what the news media want us to hear. We live in an insulated world where other news around the world seems to have little substance. Will we eventually find ourselves back in the fight when some fanatic decides to attack like at Pearl Harbor? Why are we so willing to allow fleshly comforts to overcome our heavenly obligations to focus on our creator?
I just returned from a spirit filled conference where my church affiliation is getting back to that focus not adjusting to worldly compromise. The Nazis war machine nearly destroyed our freedom and took the lives of many of the Jewish communities because they believed they were superior. The communists are trying even today, to change the scenario to their advantage. Why are we allowing human desires to change the very fabric of our creator’s desires. Do I know specifically His desires? No but neither does anyone else. Why do some live in fear trying to hide under new social norms while others live in faith, praying for guidance from our heavenly father, our creator of all things?
As I finish writing down my thoughts of the last few months, I am hit with some reality checks. One of our friends in England is diagnosed with an illness and now undergoing chemo. We pray for his recovery. One of my church members has a close friend who lost a young boy due to a drowning accident. Why do we experience such senseless tragedies? A young child had his life’s experiences ahead of him is now gone. Why? It is not our role to second guess but know that God loves us. We can say, if that is true then why take away loved ones especially so young. He may love us but does not interfere with the consequences of our choices unless it is His will to intervene. It was an accident that will be put into our memory bank for perhaps a greater purpose. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 4, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The later word “prevention” may be hard to accept but the consequences of our choices may have a significant role in the event. If God did not accept our free will to choose, how can we grow to reach our potential? Without our willingness to seek God, live by faith in Him, make good choices, while not living in fear of inaction, His plan for us may or may not be revealed in our time on earth.
Also, as I finish this writing, yet another loss of life in my circle of friends was witnessed. My friend had just been re-married for less than a year after losing his previous wife to illness. Now, his new bride is gone also due to illness. Why does some seem to be overly impacted by loss of loved ones? As mere mortals, we do not have an answer but through our journey on faith, God will strengthen us to endure the pain in order to obtain ultimate victory.
Please join me to question all things, while being guided by the Holy Spirit to overcome human weakness to conform. May we conform not to this world but to the everlasting world to come rejoicing in final victory through the one and only one creator of all things. Praise God!
T