Icarus, Me and and Our Wings

Unknown painter

So I figure I should explain the make-over to the blog. Since our dear son, Barec, was born in November, things have changed drastically around our house. Becoming a father has been a very humbling experience that has me thinking a lot about our family's goals, priorities and trajectory in life. Combining that with school, church and other responsibilities has been difficult at best.

In my search for balance, faith and productivity, I find myself relating to the greek youth, Icarus and his winged plight. A young and ambitious man given fragile, wax-wings by his father to escape imprisonment on an island. In his excitement of flying, Icarus flew too close to the sun, his precarious wings melted, and he tumbled to his death in the sea. Now, I don't relate my fate with that precarious young man and hopefully it doesn't lead me to a watery grave, but my flight through life is much like his.

I was given wings by a Father who loves me and wants me to be free and happy. How I use those wings, however is wherein lies the tricky part. In flight, there are two main laws that apply; lift and thrust. Thrust is my own momentum. I must put one foot in front of the other and progress toward my goals in a timely manner. Finding time to fit everything in has left me feeling somewhat depressed, guilty and incapable and searching for new ways of coping.

Lift, on the other hand, is something that I can't do for myself. For me, lift comes from family, friends and the gospel of Jesus Christ. The support that these sources give me, helps me to soar to new heights.

Lift and thrust together create flight. One without the other just doesn't work. If I have too much lift and not enough thrust, there is no direction, and I end up wind-blown in the same spot I started. (Ok, maybe this isn't a perfect metaphor, but I'm still feeling the connection). If there is too much thrust, when I am trusting in my own strengths and not in the Lords guidance and plan for me, then I metaphorically nose-dive into the sea.

So, as a humbled child of God, I am feeling of late the precariousness of my fragile wax wings and am trying to find the balance, all of us must find, to be able to maintain a straight flight pattern. Icarus reminds be to be cautious, thoughtful and wise in the decision I make in life to maintain my balance.