Complacency

“There once was a beautiful house on a hill that worked so hard to stand until one day it just crumbled, disappearing into dust. Its foundation had been neglected for so long that it could no longer carry the weight of its walls.”

-- L. Leavitt

Somewhere in the middle lies a place called Complacency. It starts where the newness leaves off and the good is “good enough”. It is a place of passing words and passing actions, where we hold on because that’s what we’ve always done, and life is lived side by side rather than ever intersecting. It is where predictability and habit preside, and routines become lifetimes. It is a place often “stumbled upon” and unrecognized; and is not to be confused with Love, Trust, or Loyalty, as it is a very dangerous place to venture. And in the end the carelessness that leads us there will slowly eat away at the foundation of all we hold dear, until we are left holding only the pieces.

Some time ago I realized that my life consisted of passing conversations as I hurried to and from meetings, baseball games, piano lessons, parent-teacher conferences, grocery shopping, doctor appointments, church responsibilities … It was something that just happened, and before I even noticed it seemed that Mr. V and I were living our lives side by side -- far away from the hopes and dreams we once shared.

It was at this time we discovered Stehekin, a quaint little town nestled within the North Cascade Mountains of Washington State, on the far edge of Lake Chelan. Accessible only by boat, foot, or float plane, it is a step back in time to a life uncluttered and untouched by the rest of the world. It is a place where Carl the gardener says that pulling weeds is not hard work, but a chosen lifestyle. It is a place where the smell of freshly baked bread and cinnamon rolls floats from bakery windows, filling the morning air. It is a one room school house, a cabin retreat, and a quiet stroll through the woods. It is a challenging bike trek 13.6 miles up the mountain, and a thrilling ride back down. It is the power of a rushing river, the beauty of the hike, the still of silence, and the majesty of the mountains. It is quiet conversations, shared thoughts, and remembered moments. And to us… it was salvation.

And so each year we return to renew and recommit to those things we hold most dear. And each time we come away with a stronger resolve to not merely endure, but together enjoy the journey. For we have learned that Complacency is not joy, and that true joy can be found in caring for the intricate relationships of life.