After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome To Holland”.
“Holland?!?” you say, “What do you mean “Holland”??? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy”
But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place.
So you must go and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills…Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy…and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned”.
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away…because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss.
But…if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things…about Holland.
-I didn't write this, but I thought it was beautiful, and I can relate in way, even though I don't really know what we are facing, or if we are facing anything at all. Just one day at a time. Life is Good.
1 comment:
wow, that is such a great story, and can apply to so many people on so many different levels.
Meg you all are doing great and you will enjoy Holland, and the one thing you will get to do is brag to people that you got to experience Holland a place that only the strong and blessed get to enjoy! Just remember you aren't always stuck in Holland you will get to go so many other places, and even Italy. (Trust me I may not be in holland but I am for sure not in italy, one thing is for sure I have found my own venice)
Love ya!
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