The Path of Life

We dedicated the new labyrinth tonight at church. It happened after prayers, dinner and games. Night had come on and when we got to the garden where the labyrinth now resides we found the darkness lit by dozens of little candles set out at various points along the pathway that is its journey. We each were given a candle and all gathered around the edge and listened while our pastor, Robert, talked about how we had been envisioning this labyrinth since our beginning. We said the Renewal Prayer and the Labyrinth Blessing. Then everyone who needed to went home and the children started running all over the place pretending they were walking the labyrinth. They didn't know the rules yet but they had the general idea. A couple of them were chasing each other around the circles. It was kind of cute.

When most of the people had cleared out I started walking. I was joined by Patsy, Edwin, Marion and a woman I recognize but don't know. We all moved along the path at our own pace. I was slow at the turns and rather fast on the straight way. I kept thinking that it mimicked the journey I'd taken through life on the road to becoming a teacher and it was predicting how I would move as I progressed in my career. Sometimes I would go fast and smoothly and sometimes I'd slow down and do turns or pay attention to details. I walked to the center, turned and faced each of the 4 directions, then walked my way back out. On the way out I took off my shoes. That made me feel connected to the earth. I finished and sat on the risers watching the others walk. It looked like a choreographed dance of life. Sometimes you were right next to someone going in the same way and sometimes you passed each other coming from opposite directions. Every time you were near to someone you eventually parted from them.

When everyone had finished walking, Marion and Patsy explained to me why they would walk the outer rim. It has something to do with the lunar cycle which is feminine and there are 28 crescents cut into the edge in each quarter. It is this which is supposed to attract us to this method of prayer. This place will only get more beautiful. We all felt that to be true. It looks like a path which is going to take us forward and become a blending of our gifts to the community we are a part of.

Making a connection with this imagery by being at the end of life's path, Madeleine L'Engle died yesterday at age 88. L'Engle was part of my growing up. I loved her Wrinkle in Time series. She was the first author I ever read who wrote faith into their story telling. I discovered her work when I was in college and later shared a book she wrote with my mother. It was "Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art". Mother has always been more reflective in her reading than I am. I prefer the fun of a good story. The story I read said she died of natural causes. I'm going to assume she had lived a full and happy life, it was her time, and she was ready to go.

Tonight after walking the labyrinth, L'Engle's passing reminds me even more of the view of people passing, meeting and then moving on. She too is part of the labyrinthine path of life. I hope her path through heaven is soft and joyous.