Our friend Mary took a walk.
Might not seem like a big deal, but Colorado is currently experiencing several nasty high-country wildfires. As smoke from those fires drifts onto the Front Range, it feels like we’re living 24/7 around a campfire – minus the s’mores.
Local news now includes a “smoke forecast.” The usually stunning view of the Rocky Mountains is totally obscured. In this constant haze of pollution, any form of outdoor activity becomes a bit more of an adventure.
Mary’s part of the HOPE & FREEDOM CHALLENGE. She’s been faithfully walking, adding to the team total, all summer. She passed along some thoughts, which I’m paraphrasing with permission.
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Walking through the haze, I thought about the kids at the HOME OF HOPE and the reason I’m out here in this craziness of smoke and COVID.
There’s so much pollution in the world…physical, societal, political, emotional, spiritual. Often we simply avoid it, or tolerate and adapt, without really addressing the cause. But we’ve been given the tools to overcome all of them and thrive.
However, we have to work at it. We have to be faithful and persevere.
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Mary’s right. We’re surrounded by all sorts of pollution, and perhaps we’re most threatened by those not so easily seen.
It’s a great metaphor. God gave us a pollution-free world. And since we make all kinds of messes, He journeys with us to address and overcome the visible and not-so-visible messes we make.
Some questions:
How often do you and I contribute to these insidious forms of pollution?
How often do we just accept it?
How often do we see something we KNOW should be different and shrug it off with a dismissive “It is what it is”?
How often does our silence allow some form of pollution to persist?
How often are we okay with pollution as long as it impacts others…and not us?
I can’t do anything about our stinky air, but wildfires don’t last forever. The smoke will dissipate, the air will clear, and soon our sparkling bluebird skies will return.
Invisible pollution takes more work, more persistence, more conversation with God.
And s’mores. S’mores would always help.
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Mary’s been a faithful member of the FREEDOM TOUR family for several years. Here’s a photo from days when the air was clear and skies were bright.