Walking the Train Tracks, Chapter 4
An Excerpt from my Upcoming Book
This is the fourth chapter of the book I am writing called, “Walking the Train Tracks”. My goal is to create a practical, simple book that gives spiritual insights in bite-sized pieces. If you missed the previous chapters, here is chapter 1, chapter 2, and chapter 3.
Please enjoy, and give me comments below. Thank you.
Title: THE ADVENTURE OF LIFE
The boy was pale. He absently chewed his fingernails as he watched his father pull the small motorcycle to a stop next to him.
“See, it’s easy. You can do it if you want to buddy.”
“Yeah mate, no worries. You’ll be fine,” said the father’s cousin. “I’ll show you what you need to do.” The cousin set his coffee mug down in the grass and held the bike steady with his oil-stained hands. The father could see that he relished teaching the boy how to ride a motorcycle.
The cousin’s confidence calmed the boy. The father fastened the boy’s helmet and the cousin gave instructions on how the controls worked. “Don’t worry about changing gears right now,” said the father. “Just ride down there between the pile of logs and the old rusty car and turn around and come back.”
The boy took off at a sputter. The bike lurched forward and then slowed down as the boy learned the controls. The boy made it past the logs and then slowed down too much to make the turn. The father could see that he wasn’t going fast enough to keep the bike up and began to jog to the boy as the bike went down and the boy jumped off. His leg got caught under the side and the boy fell with the bike, but the father could see that he was in no danger.
By the time the father got to him the boy had squirmed out from under the bike. The boy jumped up and started speaking wildly. He was scared at first, then excited, then proud. The boy bounced on his feet as he told the father how much fun he had and how he almost hit the logs and how he almost went down the hill that he wasn’t supposed to go down.
The father and cousin’s eyes met briefly and they chuckled. The father patted his son on the head and told his son what a great job he’d done. “Do you want to go again?” the father asked.
“In a little bit, but not now.”
“Ok, whatever you want buddy,” the father answered with a smile.
They started walking the bike back while enjoying the cousin’s company. They didn’t see him very often, so when they did get together it was that much more special. Droplets of rain started to fall; slowly at first but suddenly it turned into a torrent. The rain turned into hail and they left the bike and ran to the cover of the cousin’s house.
The cousin’s house was actually an old bus that he had parked on a large plot of land. The bus overlooked the most beautiful ocean view the father had ever seen. It was a strange arrangement, but it was a perfect reflection of the cousin’s nature. The cousin didn’t care at all about comfort; he lived simply and loved each moment.
They jumped into the bus, took off their sweatshirts and hung them up to dry. Hail pounded the bus. The wet clothes stuck to their bodies. The windows quickly fogged up. The cousin put on a pot of hot water while the father and son found places to sit.
A gentle smell of rust, wet earth, and damp wool mixed with the aroma of tea invited the father into the cousin’s unique place in the world. The father relaxed and was glad that his son was experiencing this alternate reality.
“This is the adventure of life buddy. You’re living it, right now. This is what it’s all about.”
“Yeah, yeah. That’s it.” answered the cousin as he poured a cup of tea.
“You stepped up and did something that you were scared of, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, it was great.”
“You overcame your fears. You had fun. You learned a little more about loving life today. That’s why we’re here. That’s why you, as Soul, are here in this world. That’s why I’m here and why my cuz is here. This world is a school created by God so that we can learn and grow and love and we can help others learn and grow and love.”
“Life is a spiritual adventure. This life in this physical body is only one small part of your spiritual adventure, but it’s an important part.
“Think about what I’m saying. This world, this life, everything that you experience is a gift of Love from God. Although it doesn’t seem like it sometimes, everything that happens is supposed to happen. Everything is an opportunity to learn. Not only is it an opportunity to learn, but whatever is happening in your life is exactly what you need to go through at the moment to learn what you need to learn.
Don’t think about it too much though. Life is dynamic and cannot be defined by rules. Just live the best life you can. Learn and grow. Be bold and adventurous. Enjoy the company of good people who love you. Try to live in harmony with the people around you. Love life. Give back.
Be thankful for your life. When you are grateful for life your heart stays open and you love life. Fear and anger and other bad emotions cannot exist in your heart when you are full of gratitude.
Remember that you are Soul and your ability to grow is infinite. Your ability to develop your personal relationship with God is unlimited. Trust life.
The cousin lifted his cup of tea in salute to the boy and said, “That’s it mate. Listen to your paps!”
The father and boy laughed and they all felt happy, like they were sharing a secret.
I’d love to hear your thoughts about this chapter.