Each of us is a book that God is writing, chapter by chapter. And like a good novel, some of the best punch-lines are set up in the early chapters of our lives and unfold to help the story develop. One of the best examples I can give is from a chapter in my youth when I lived on the island of Oahu in Hawaii and found myself with my head in the clouds.

I was raised a Navy brat, one of five kids, son of a Navy chief. We were excited when we heard my father’s next service command would be on the island of Oahu. Little did I realize that I would have an experience there that would enrich and help guide me throughout my life in the unknown chapters yet to unfold.

From time to time our family would all get in the car and drive up to the Aiea Mountains. There are many trails there to witness the tropical paradise. It was a lush, verdant forest area with streams and waterfalls that meandered through a landscape filled with a myriad of tropical flowers, green trees and fruit. We would return from these expeditions with paper sacks laden with avocados, mangos and other tropical fruit that grew wild in the mountains. It was on one of these adventures that I returned with more than a sack full of nature’s grace and fruitful bounty.

There is a reason why the Hawaiian mountains have often been described as paradise. This natural beauty is a display of the wonder of God’s creation…to hear the symphony of birds as it echoed under the canopy of lush, green trees so thick it blocked out the sunlight while I listened to a chorus of a bustling stream and the syncopation of an occasional waterfall. My sense of smell was overcome with the pungent aroma of the decomposing vegetation, fruit and blooming flowers wafting through my nostrils. I watched a multitude of insects, lizards and other varmints scamper just out of reach of an excited, young boy.

The Creator’s wonder filled me with a sense of being that evoked so much promise in life—a harbinger of so much more to come. As I followed the path that brought me deeper and deeper into the forest I tried to catch frogs that dove in the water just ahead of me. I breathed in the aroma of a multitude of tropical flowers and called out to the colorful birds that flew above my head from branch to branch. This paradise that God created filled me with a joy and made me feel like it was for me alone—that no one had ever before seen what I was seeing, heard what I was hearing or felt what I was feeling. It propelled me to go deeper and deeper up the mountain trail. Suddenly it dawned on me: I had gone too far and was certainly lost.

The beauty was so captivating I still continued up the trail when, suddenly, I was blanketed in a shroud of fog. The fog was so thick I couldn’t see my hand six inches from my face! Panic crept into my thoughts as I continued to step forward. How could this cloud have enveloped me so suddenly, I wondered? As my steps kept pushing me up I wondered if I should stop, turn around and go back. I don’t know why I didn’t…why I couldn’t! I kept on moving very slowly into the unknown, hearing my heart rapidly beating in my ears--my fears starting to overcome me.

All it took was one more step and my head poked through the cloud and I was filled with euphoria, awe and excitement to see the blue skies and sunshine when a second before I couldn’t see anything. I retraced my step and retreated down into the fog, then down into the forest. I went forward into the fog and then, again, upward into the sunshine. All it took was a few steps! My head was just above the cloud while my body was completely engulfed. I couldn’t see my shoulders! Wow, I thought, as I continued to play in to and out of this big, puffy pillow. I slowly backed down into the forest again and then went back up into the cloud and poked my head into the sunshine. This was an awesome experience! The novelty did not diminish.

As I returned down the path which eventually took me back to my family, I was unaware that this was a lesson that would help me many times to come as the chapters of my life grew. As I grew older, temptations often put my head in the clouds, filling my mind with regrets, doubts and fears and I would reflect on this chapter God placed early in my book of life. It gave me the strength, wisdom and perseverance to continue and not give up when life got hard. It taught me to strive to have higher aspirations in life when shortcuts were available. It gave me the wisdom to retreat when I was surrounded by earthly temptations that clouded my better judgment and I fell short. Time and again when the road was very difficult and I was ready to give up I found that all it took was to take one more step to get my head out of the clouds and find blue skies, sunshine and the wonder of God’s love all around me. I have faith this story will leave me with a happy ending when my time has come!

Each of us is a book that God is writing, chapter by chapter. Isn’t it amazing how, forty years later, he inserted this page into your book too?

Copyright Tony Gutberlet