A few days ago the boys and I were dropping something off at a local church and we noticed a large labyrinth painted on the cement ground of the church courtyard. We couldn't resist a few trips around the "maze", as the kids called it. Since we've also been in the midst of a serious sidewalk chalk phase, Nate asked if I would draw him his own labyrinth in our driveway. Our driveway was completely full of chalk graffiti already, so we had to wait for a rainy day to wash away a space. Today was that day.
Here are just a few reasons why I love labyrinths:
+When two or more people walk a labyrinth together, even though they are all going to the same place they are almost always walking in different directions.
+You can't rush or else you get dizzy.
+There are no decisions or wrong choices, you just keep following the path.
+Sometimes it seems like the path is going the wrong way based on where you are supposed to end up, but it always ends up being right.
+They are ineffective by definition -- nearly the exact opposite of the shortest distance between two points.
+They are full of intentional 180-degree turns.
Our driveway labyrinth kept the boys busy for quite a while. Here are some things I overheard them say while they played:
"I don't know where I'm going!"
"I'm lost."
"You have to just follow, follow, follow."
"I'm not where I'm going yet."
"Which way do I go?"
"Just keep going."
"I'm on my way!"
"This is taking a long, long time."
"You're back where you started."
"I got there just in time."
1 comment:
Your thoughts on labyrinths are quite profound. Really touched my heart. Thx for the good word.
P.S. I do not enjoy labyrinths, but my older brother loves them and has spent extensive time creating a book of elaborate mazes. He also loved the game. Is it the mathematical, contemplative mind, I wonder?
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