Lessons from a waterfall

I had this entire post drafted Thursday night, but Friday morning it completely changed. In a nutshell, the initial blog’s focus was about being back at the Opryland Hotel after having taken a hiatus for some 10ish years. (Seriously, the garden is ah-mazing, but $18 to park? For real Gaylord?) The post reflected my memories of the hotel and garden, yet upon returning, nothing seemed the same. I couldn’t find my favorite spot under the waterfall and I couldn’t find the nothing-short-of-Tara stairway. When I asked, I was told it had been remodeled almost exactly as it had been before the flood two years ago. Needless to say, the post went into details regarding my idealized childhood memories while simultaneously questioning my sanity.

But Friday morning, I headed out for my morning walk (sans dogs) and as I wandered through a dark hallway (nightclubs in a hotel?) I saw it — my stairway. And it was glorious as if Scarlett O’Hara were standing on the landing herself. The beautiful staircase sprawled before me, though it seemed a bit smaller compared to how I’d remembered it as a child. My face lit up as if I’d just run into a long-lost friend. It still looked different though, which was apparently visible on my face when a lone employee asked if I was lost. This used to be the hotel check-in area and was always a busy part of the hotel but it was desolate. Turns out, they moved check-in to its current location pre-flood. But the hallway beyond the stairway was different, too. No more brick flower beds to play tag-you’re-it around while the adults check in. With an ear-to-ear smile stretched across my face, I hurried down the hallway where I remembered WSM being. Still there. And still live broadcasting from the hotel. I kept walking, and with each step, felt excitement building. (Seriously, had you passed me you would’ve thought I was doped up on happy pills. Luckily, it was 5 a.m. so the only people I passed were equally crazy for being up that early.)

Then I saw it… the garden I remembered in my mind. And it was exactly as I remembered, so I wasn’t crazy after all. I strolled skipped along the path and smiled around every corner. Then, I rounded the corner. Cascading over a rock cliff was my waterfall. I walked the curved path behind it with my headphones in my ears. So many memories, so much peacefulness all in one man-made place. It was still dark out so the atrium shed little light on the conservatory. I stood there completely and blissfully happy. Recognizing how something so seemingly insignificant could trigger such emotion was a little overwhelming. But it wasn’t the waterfall itself or even the memories of my past, it was the feeling of restoration and humility.

For a while, my bible study has focused on letting go of pride and finding humility. Our pride should be in God’s glory alone. Here I was in this beautiful garden of this exquisite hotel that two years ago, was half under water. Talk about humility. All the money and fame and glory in the world didn’t stop those rivers from rising and engulfing half of Nashville with them. Humility brings one back to the starting point — to an even playing field. Through hard work from many people, I was standing in a spot that looked exactly as it had years before. Restoration is not an easy process, nor is finding your own humility. Both are doable and both are necessary.

During Blissdom, one if our featured speakers, Jon Acuff, said: “Never compare your beginnings to someone else’s middle.” How true is that in the blogging world? We all do it. We all compare ourselves to other bloggers and other websites. We all want the comments and the retweets. We all want to be invited to speak or to participate in a panel. But when we’re blessed with the opportunity, we must always remember to be humble. We must remember we (the DOC) blog with a purpose. We blog to help, to support, to make a difference. We shouldn’t reap the glory from that, but instead be thankful for the opportunity and the ability to share openly and candidly. Who knew I would get so much out of a waterfall?

So my encouragement to you is this: Don’t compare. Don’t focus on hits and comments. Instead, be thankful for the connections you’ve made that have benefitted you and the possibility you’ve helped someone in need. I certainly didn’t ask for diabetes, and I never imagined I’d blog about it. But I am finished comparing myself and I’m finished thinking I have a better blog than someone else. I’m checking my pride at the door (or rather at login.)

Don’t worry, I will continue to share my Blissdom wisdom in the coming days (ha!) I promise to leave the waterfall metaphors in Nashville. (Though it is beautiful and everyone should visit (in a carpool) seriously Gaylord, $18?!)