Food for the Journey – 9/9/2021 – Bryan Gatten

I was fortunate last week to be able to spend a lot of time outdoors. After a summer filled with a rollercoaster of emotions, an intentional rest period was necessary to recharge. I was struck, not for the first time, by the amount of natural beauty in our area. Even a simple hike was therapeutic, as I enjoyed the last wisps of a summer breeze, and admired the green of the trees against the deep blue of the sky. Things that are easy to take for granted, especially during a time when so much other information (both good and bad) can take up mental space.

At the beginning of summer, I wrote about admiring Leif Erikson Park after a time away, enjoying its scenery anew. Now, after the deluge of news of the past few months, it has to be more intentional to see and appreciate the simple things, even with life being so complex.

For many, the hope of the beginning of summer has turned back to anxiety and frustration. One cannot seem to scroll through any social media feed without coming face-to-face with multiple pieces of evidence of our world in turmoil.

Pastor Dianne has preached recently about what we allow ourselves to take in, and what takes up our mental and spiritual focus: is it positive or negative?

I was contemplating this as I encouraged myself to savor the fresh air (itself a privilege after weeks of heavy wildfire smoke) during one of my walks. A quote from an old Sherlock Holmes story came to mind, from “The Adventure of the Naval Treaty:”

“Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. Other things, our powers, our desires, our food, are all really necessary for our existence in the first instance. But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its color are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers.”

Holmes, often characterized as cold and calculating, shows some rare emotion here in this moving monologue. But, as good fiction often does, it gives us a powerful glimpse into our own world.

Yes, trees provide many benefits to our existence on this planet. Water is necessary for all life. Plants and insects allow the planet to thrive. But these things are also beautiful. No two trees, insects, birds, or clouds are exactly alike. Lake Superior, which I am grateful to see every day, also looks different every single day. The amount of creativity involved in creation, a concept that is seemingly obvious, is a wonder to behold.

Holmes makes a case for this beauty to be “extra,” as evidence of the goodness of the Creator, creating not simply for existence or sustenance, but for joy.

It’s my prayer that this will be a useful reminder during this time, that when all seems lost, we have much to hope from the flowers.