Dad,

Here are two passages from books that I have been contemplating. They are about life and safety.

The first is from The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien:

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step out onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” – Bilbo Baggins

The next is from The Chronicles of Narnia, the Lion the witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis:

“Ooh!” said Susan, “I’d thought he was a man. Is he–quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”

“That you will, dearie, and no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver, “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else silly.”

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

So, I relate that to my spiritual journey. You mentioned in an earlier post The Allegory of the Cave. The cave dwellers were afraid to leave the comfort and safety of their homes to experience the light. I hope and pray that I will continue to know what it looks like on the other side of the door, even if the outside is less safe and less secure than the inside.

Bryan