Last week’s COLUMN, A New Perspective, was special for me as it not only encouraged many, but me as well. The comments and messages were much appreciated and I am pleased it achieved what I intended. Being open and willing to share your successes, failures, strengths and struggles make you vulnerable, but knowing that in your vulnerability, there are people who are inspired and encouraged makes it all worth it, somehow.
A story is told of a young boy who every morning sat at his window and admired the house on the hill with the golden windows in the west. He would sit in amazement and dream of one day being able to live in such a house. One day, he asked his father if he could visit the house and he agreed, and they walked for a long time until they arrived at it. When he got outside the house, the boy stood very confused: the house had no golden windows. A little girl exited the house and asked if they were looking for something and he replied he “was looking for the house with the golden windows he sees every morning”. “Oh, you have come to the wrong place,” the little girl replied. “If you wait until sunset and look in the east, I will show you the house with the golden window that I see every evening.” She then pointed to a house in the distance – the home of the boy.
So many times I feel as if I am the only person who feels very lonely, forgotten and unappreciated; who is going through difficult times or who needs an answer, a solution or a breakthrough; or who cries and feels discouraged and low; or who sometimes struggles with comparison or who becomes reserved, low and depressed; or who doesn’t always have a positive attitude or walk by faith; and who gets tired many times praying about the same things over and over and doesn’t want to read the Bible because sometimes it feels like a chore.
The story above means so much to me and has shifted my perspective. We often look at people’s lives and believe theirs is better than ours, based on what we see from the outside. I have observed how we judge each other’s lives by the cars we drive; the clothes, shoes, make-up, jewellery and smiles we wear; where we live; the phones and tablets we carry, where we work, the titles we carry and the list goes on. We often long to be ‘like others’ and want what they have. We see our lives and situations as dire, shameful and unattractive because it doesn’t contain the things we perceive make others’ lives happy and meaningful. We are busy observing the golden windows in people’s homes thinking we have nothing of value to offer, and don’t realise there are people looking at our golden windows and being inspired.
I remember walking to class one day and seeing this male student looking very sad and down. He was a student whose parents were very wealthy and many of the students envied him. I stopped and had a conversation with him to see how I could help. During the conversation he said, “Sir, all of my friends want money, cars, big houses and clothes but all I want is a family.”
Despite all that we may be going through and the many situations we may be facing, know that you are not alone in the struggle. We are all struggling with something: you may admire and want Ken’s wealth while he may be desperately longing for your good health and stable family. We spend too much time admiring the golden windows in other people’s lives and don’t recognise, and as a result don’t appreciate, the golden windows in our lives that are an inspiration and an encouragement to others.
The story teaches us that in ‘time’ we too will shine. On mornings the little girl’s home was the splendour of the west but on evenings it was the little boy’s time to shine. God’s time isn’t man’s time and quite often God appears to take too long but if we remain focused, committed and diligent, in time we will reach our promised land.
• Corey Worrell is a former Commonwealth Youth Ambassador. Email [email protected].
