Disorder
Order appeals to me. My family and close friends can tell you I tend to be an orderly person. I make my To Do lists and check them off. I arrange my books in alphabetical order according to author’s last name. I abhor stacks on my desk, and those I have are small and neatly arranged. At our construction site in Guatemala, my eye for something not being level caused the crew extra work to “fix” what was only a little out of order. Order provides me a sense of balance. It makes my world predictable and safe. I know what to expect and where to find things. Order shows forethought and thus is my way of controlling the present and the future.
My world is not always one of order, however. This morning, my routine (more order) of eating breakfast and reading the paper was disrupted leaving me feeling angry and frustrated. When my world is full of chaos I sometimes find myself retreating to my home office to organize my books or clean off my desk. It’s an unsuccessful way to bring order back into my life. While trying to deal with my frustration this morning, I flipped through my pictures in My Galleries (have you checked them out yet). They are neat and orderly. Anyway, I was attracted to this picture I took in Antiqua, Guatemala. As I reflected on the picture, however, I realized I cannot control other people or all the events that happen to me.
Order is not possible without disorder. The world God has created has tremendous order. The earth rotates at an orderly speed around its axis. The laws of gravity and nature keep us alive. Without order we would have no world. At the same time, the world is full of disorder that can also be beautiful–a field of wild flowers, erratic mountain peaks, random cloud formations that reflect the setting sun. I’m not advocating that I abandon my desire for order, but I am advocating that I learn better to appreciate the disorder in the world and in others’ lives–to accept it and embrace it. Sometimes disorder can be beautiful if I simply let it be.
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