Looking Back

Since I live east of the big city, I'm blessed daily not to find myself squinting against the sun, whether going to or from work. And while I love to see glorious sunrises and sunsets, I'm glad I don't have to fight to see the road or oncoming traffic through the bright glare, especially when the pavement is wet or snowy.

Sometimes though, I do wish I was driving into the painted sky, rather than away from it. I've only got three mirrors to give me a back view, and even that's difficult if I'm staying focused on driving. I've often been tempted to simply pull over so I can open my door and stick my head out to look back at the scene God made (just for me, I'm sure).

On a recent evening, I was driving home from a little later than normal. Of course, the sunset was an awesome one, and it was to my back. I kept looking in my mirrors as much as I could, just so I could enjoy it. After all, in a few minutes, it would be gone, and I'd never see another one like it again.

My newest cellphone, I discovered, has this great feature where all I have to do is give it a shake, and the camera comes on. This came in really handy as I could still keep hold of my steering wheel, while also taking some random shots with my phone. I figured if I couldn't safely turn around and take a really good picture, I might as well catch what I was seeing in one of my mirrors.

It really didn't do the scene justice at all, but it did capture the moment so I could remember one of the many sunsets I've seen and loved.

I've often heard it said, "Don't look back." Sometimes it's meant literally, but usually figuratively. Don't look back. The past is gone. Look straight ahead. Don't dwell on what is gone. While I believe there is much truth in this, I'll also say that sometimes I think it's good to look back. Without looking back, how can we see how far we've come? Without looking at the past, how can we gauge our successes? Or goals achieved? Or circumstances we survived?

The best thing about a mirror is that you don't have to turn all the way around to look back. You can stay focused on what lies ahead, but still see how far you've come. Looking back doesn't mean turning around and going back. Remembering milestones, accomplishments, and survival of trials has the ability to keep us moving forward.

Just because there may be ugliness in the virtual mirror doesn't mean God cannot also reveal to us what is beautiful.

Have a great weekend! And if you want to take pictures while driving... have the passenger do it, or pull over. ;-)


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