April 24, 2010 - Sally Thigpen

April 24, 2010

I grew up in Ruston believing that I would follow in my mother’s footsteps: finish college (a must in my family), get married, and have children. For the rest of my life I planned to be actively involved in my children’s lives, my church, and my community. My children would be good-looking, intelligent, athletic, and popular. Their friends would always want to come to my house because I would be wise and kind. Besides I would bake the best chocolate chip cookies. I would probably be given an award for all my volunteer work. I finished college and got married, but then life happened. Robert Burns’ famous statement (“The best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley.”) certainly applied to me.

There’s a great metaphor for parents of disabled children that I’d like to modify to describe my life. As I grew up, I dreamed of going to Paris. I imagined what I would do there, what sights I would visit, what great food I would savor. I got on the plane of adulthood, ticket in hand for Paris. But when the plane landed and I got off, I found myself in Amsterdam. At first I was shocked and angry. How dare the pilot make such a mistake! This is not where I intended to be. I spent several hours in the airport complaining loudly to whoever would listen that I had been wronged. But, eventually I realized that Amsterdam was where I was and there was no turning back. So I left the airport and began to explore the city. At first I ignored the sights because I was still unhappy, but eventually I began to notice the beautiful flowers, the quaint shops, the canals, the artwork. The food wasn’t French, but it was good (you notice the importance food plays in my life). Gradually I found myself enjoying Amsterdam. I have to admit, there are still times I think about Paris and wonder how my life would have been had I landed there. Sometimes I meet people who have been to Paris and they tell me of the joys (and also the problems) and, sometimes, I’m jealous.

God didn’t send me to Amsterdam without my considerable input. Sometimes He told me the plane should bank left and I insisted on banking it right. Sometimes He suggested I sit down and let Him fly the plane, but I insisted on taking the controls. When we got to Amsterdam, He showed me much to enjoy, when I wasn’t insisting on getting myself lost. But He was with me all the way. As I start my sixth decade of life, I’m trying to be more relaxed and willing to let God be in charge. My life is in Amsterdam now. It’s a very good life, if I say so myself.

Sally Thigpen