One of the most epic movie scenes of all time is when Indiana Jones embarked on a quest to find the Holy Grail. After barely surviving the first two perilous trials, he comes to the end of a canyon that he has to somehow cross. “This is impossible,” he says. “No one can jump this.”
Time was running out, and his dying father whispered, “You must believe, boy. You must believe.” Indy realizes that only a “leap of faith” will take him to the other side and the Holy Grail that will save his father’s life. He gathers his courage, puts his hand on his heart, raises his leg, and steps out with no idea what might happen next. To his surprise and relief, his foot lands on a camouflaged bridge that was invisible from where he was standing. Breathing a little more normally, he hurries to find the Holy Grail and save his father.
Will the Real Indiana Jones Stand Up?
Even though our daily lives may not involve a literal abyss we have to cross to reach our holy grail, we too have to take leaps of faith without knowing where we will land. The only difference is that the trials we have to face look like saying yes to a new relationship, sending our children to school, deciding whether to go to a doctor, or moving across country--my most recent canyon to traverse.
It was most definitely an invisible bridge I was stepping on to in 2019 when my son and I moved from Denver, Colorado, back to my small hometown in southern Mississippi—a town I left in 1991, absolutely KNOWING that I would NEVER move back there again. After a lot of discernment and listening to my inner wisdom, I knew that this move was the best move for me and my son. What I didn’t know was everything else—where we’d live, whether my son would like Mississippi as much he thought he would, how I would feel about going “backward” in my life, and how I would manage being the odd man out on faith, politics, values, and attitudes, to name a few.
Managing the Leap
Thankfully, over the years, I have created a spiritual life that works for me, especially in situations in which I have to act and don’t have a clue what the outcome or outcomes might be. To befriend the unknown, to prepare myself to take that step into the abyss, I ask two simple questions:
What do I know?
What do I need to remember?
What Do I Know?
What I know and what you know will probably be different. And that’s okay. The things that I know support me in moving forward in peace, to accept what seems unacceptable, to enjoy and bask in all the world has to provide. Whatever your answers, all that matters is whether they support you in a positive way.
So, what do I know? First, I know that I live in a friendly Universe. I know that grace exists and that I benefit from it every second of every day. I know that whatever my actions, or inactions, I can ultimately work them for my good. By answering this first question, I ground myself in my Truth and can take that first step and land on that bridge that was invisible to me because of my fear and anxiety. And the footing feels solid.
What Do I Need to Remember?
When Indy was trying to cross that abyss, he had to remember that a man of faith would let go and leap. When I was moving to Mississippi, I asked myself what I needed to remember. First, I remembered all the previous abysses I’d crossed, including a divorce and the death of my mom. Then I remembered that I had people in my life who would love and support me no matter where I lived. And finally, I remembered the good things about living in a small Southern town and, most importantly, that if I didn’t like it, I could change it.
Reminding myself of what I know and remembering what I needed to remember, allowed me to cross the abyss to find my own Holy Grail, which by some miracle, turned out to be in a small town in southern Mississippi.
What Abyss Are You Facing?
If you find yourself on the edge of a metaphorical abyss, see if asking my two questions helps you begin to see your way across the impossible divide and makes that first leap a little easier to take.
As with anything I share here in the Spiritual Playhouse, my intention is to provide ideas and practices that have worked for me, with the hope that you will try what speaks to you.
Either way, I'd love to hear all about your challenges and your leaps of faith. What supports you in taking that first step toward the unknown? What landings on the other side do you want to celebrate? And do you think Sean Connery and Harrison Ford is the Holy Grail of movie duos?
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