"Seek not to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; rather, seek what they sought." Gautama Buddha

I have the privilege of being present to many seniors in high school, those who are seeking to make decisions that will give shape to their future and how they will walk in the world. At the same time, I am also privileged to be among people in the middle life who are also seeking out the path of 'what next' in their own living. As I listen to each of these generations, I am struck with the similarities of the questions and the quest. Certainly the decisions to be made will be colored by maturity, resources and an understanding of longevity. But each generation is bushwhacking their way through the questions and answers that give meaning to life. Questions of passion,gift, faith, doubt, responsibility, opportunity, imagination and a deep desire to become 'what they are meant to be.'

Many times people make their life plan based on the inspiration of another person…what they have seen that person accomplish, what they admire about another, even the rewards they have seen someone else receive. Still other times the plan we create for our life is highly powered by what we think others, usually parents or other family members, expect of us. Though this is more common in younger folks, its influence continues for some of us decades longer. This can create a lot of years of 'should' and a life shaped more by obligation than anything else.

As these words of Gautama Buddha advise, we ultimately must find our own path. Though we might seek the wisdom of another, we each must find our own way to that wisdom. None of us can walk the path that can only be walked by someone else. Often this is a very difficult lesson to learn.

I thought of this last evening when we gathered for a service we called 'the sacredness of doubt' in which people brought the doubts they carry about God, their faith, the church, their life. It was a time of quiet, an intimate sharing of those places we often keep to ourselves, sometimes in confusion, sometimes in shame. It felt good to place those doubts in the center of our worship circle. It seemed healthy to set this act of seeking in a place of honor.

While I cannot walk the footsteps of those whose doubts are only mystery to me, I can promise to bless their journey. As men and women of old have done for thousands of years before, we took some steps on the path that can only be walked by an individual, seeking the answer that only can be found by clearing our own path. But in coming together we paid homage to those whose footsteps have gone before and made room for our own walking.

No matter the age, this seeking, this clearing, this walking is holy business. May we be blessed by those who walk with us and the Holy One who forges the path.