Sometimes it's embarrassing to admit what's important to our hearts. In this case the embarrassment lies in the fact that the object of importance is a privilege and, should that privilege be withdrawn, the proper response should be, "alas, it was a gift for a time". However, this privilege is tightly wound into our love for the place in which we dwell. This privilege I speak of is the view from Bag End.
Each morning we discover a surprise: a mysterious fog hiding the shore, a holy mist hovering above the water, a faithful blue heron sneaking between the cattails, or (as delighted in this morning) an artistic life-through-death fall color reflecting on the surface. The view is a magnet for the eye that few have the power to resist. It has been the exclamation point on many passages of Scripture and the period at the end of "you only need to be still".* It is a victim of long gazes as mind games are fought within.
To put this view-privilege in its place it should be said that among all the sites to behold it is certainly not, nor ever will be, sought after by world travelers. But it is comforting warmth and refreshing breath to the residents and guests of Bag End.
Not long ago an orange flag marked the beginning of the tainting of the view from Bag End. After an orange flag would follow a sign; a sign whose intent was to protect and guard against recklessness but whose impact on Bag End was disruption and a bit of marring. The purity, perhaps, was the loss most felt. Secret plans to reposition those arrogant orange flags (so as to resposition the placement of The Disruption) thankfully died in right-thinking. The plans were contemplated in the first place, for you see
the most accurate depiction of my perspective is best captured in the image below.
A problem arose: no one seemed to empathize with my sense of loss (by no one I mean the friend who puts forth great effort to understand me and has done so for nearly two decades). This could serve as great opportunity to trust my Heavenly Dad with my (back to the first thoughts) embarassing emotions, if the courage to be thoroughly honest could be mustered. He handled them like a champ and wasn't apalled or frightened by them one bit! In fact, He succeeded in stirring them in the heat of His love until they melted down into peace. (The heat was really quite hot though, and it burned.) But He took all and threw them into the pot. It must be noted that He didn't take only the mature and selfless ones.
And so, the story goes on. The peace came and the new sign-inclusive view would be an altar to remember to pray for the people the sign would protect and to trust, again and again, my Eternal Dad with my heart.
But suddenly one day the shock came too: the permanently placed sign was to be moved. It was
to find its new permanent home a few yards to the east and a few yards
out of our gentle privilege.
*Exodus 14:14
