The Cycles of Life

Each sunrise and sunset brings the Wayfarer further on his journey with a new beginning each day.  While he reflects at the end of this particular day he recalls that some point in bygone days he took a similar path.  As life is one of unending cycles – each day is a cycle of the rotation of earth, each seven days starts over with day one, each year cycles through twelve months and so it continues in cycles.  Life is really no different as we repeat situations over and over.  How often has the Wayfarer encountered the same situation over and over but with differing circumstances, only to have the same results?  Life is filled with patterns that cycle over and over to the point that all seems meaningless.  The expression is often used of one having a “monkey on their back” or that a demon is always on them.  What is the purpose of such patterns of cycles and what are we to do with them?

While the Wayfarer considers these matters he’s reminded of the movie, “Groundhog Day” where the character played by Bill Murray repeats the same day over and over and over for an indefinite period of time.  As the movie plays on with the same cycle repeating itself he finds himself in a state of frustration to the point of suicide, but can’t even succeed at that because he awakens the following morning with the same day repeating itself.

At some point he decides to make adjustments for the repeated failures of each, repeated day and begins to improve his life.  He learns to play the piano, develop relationships by trial and error and become a better person overall.  He realizes when he fails at something he has the opportunity to make adjustments for he knows the day will repeat when he awakens. And so the plot progresses to the point where he finally awakens to a new day and has won a new relationship through perseverance.

Is this not like life in general?  Though the Wayfarer does not have the same day repeating itself many of the circumstances in life do.  It may be in relationships that have failed, or at least gone down a wrong path.  So what happens with the next relationship?  Trying the same actions end up with another failed relationship.  Or how about the job?  Tired of the same routine, so try another job only to discover the same situation over.  Again failure to overcome the problems facing us during the cycle.  So what is the purpose of all these cycles?

The Wayfarer discovers that it is really Abba’s Grace that allows the cycles to repeat so we have ample opportunity to learn how to overcome those failures that tend to repeat.  He just needed to make the discovery that regardless of the cycles he no longer needs to respond as before but rather be an over comer of the failures.  With a new relationship his desire is to see it the way Abba sees it, not the way he did in the past.  With the new job he learns to approach it with different attitudes that please Abba.

Finally the Wayfarer has entered a new day with new life.  His focus is not on what he wants for himself but what pleases the Father, and that brings new purpose and meaning in his life.  No longer does he dread looking at the cycles in life but rather anticipates them because of the new joy that comes with it.  Learning that giving of himself to others adds pleasure to his life.  Now with each new day comes other challenges that may differ from previous ones and so the process re-cycles – how to make the right choices that will enhance his life rather than living the same drudgery as before.

Finally, no longer is it “Groundhog Day” but a progress that moves forward in a new day, though the cycles still continue.  It’s a new outlook, a new attitude, a new purpose with meaning.  May you leave “Groundhog Day” and discover the “New Day” in your life, along with the new attitudes and purpose with meaning.  Shalom.