Finding Your Pinecone

Almost every day after I get home from school I put my little Cavapoo, Sydney, into her harness and we drive to our favorite park to walk the trails.  Sydney is now 7 months old. She is full of energy, attitude, and curiosity.  She is easily distracted and although she has been through puppy kindergarten and basic obedience, she is definitely a work in progress.

Recently on one of our walks, Sydney's attitude and demeanor changed.  At first, I had no idea what happened.  She was walking with a purposeful stride and remained focussed on completing the walk to return to the car. This is simply not her norm. Usually, she is roaming from one side of me to the other, sniffing everywhere, trying to eat every bug or speck she sees. Though she is supposed to be walking solely on my left side and not pulling hard, this usually never happens. On a regular day  I am in constant chatter with her, telling her to walk "with me", "ease up" or "heel".
However, on this particular day, she was doing all she had been taught in class (except for the pulling on the lead). When I had her pause to look up at me I saw she was carrying a pinecone in her mouth that she picked up along the way. Finding that one item, something of extreme interest to her changed everything about how she approached the task of walking.

After that first time of walking Sydney while she found and carried a pinecone in her mouth, she began doing this each day when we go to the park.  She acts distracted until we make it to the pine tree grouping of the path, then she sniffs and tries several pinecones until she finds just the one she wants to carry, after that she happily continues her outing, all the while holding her precious talisman along the way.
Sydney made me think.  Aren't we all on a distracted path in life until we find our pinecone?  Something we can really get our teeth into and carry with us on our journey.

In my life, I think I carry two pinecones, my faith, and my family.  My faith in God moves me forward along this road and keeps me focused on not only life here but eternal life ever after through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.  My family provides care, comfort, and joy as I go.  Together these things make my life complete and keep me moving forward on my path.

Every day I work with students at my school.  Some have found their pinecones, they are focussed and happily moving ahead in their education and facing the world head-on with purpose.  Others are searching.  Nothing seems to suit their needs or wants as they rove back and forth along the path.
For those, I pray for peace and discovery.  That one day their special pinecone, the one that suits them best presents itself along the path.

My hope this Thanksgiving is that all might know their purpose in life, how to be their best selves. What motivates and inspires, what sustains and endures throughout the path walked. Happy Thanksgiving and may God bless your paths and your journeys upon them.