United Baptist Church of Ellsworth

Beyond the fence in the photo lies a magnificent but obscured view of Frenchman’s bay, its islands, boats, and mountains. That wonder can only be accessed through the now closed gate, and we are not invited in.

Have you ever reached a long pursued goal, one which you imagined and idealized and in which you invested time, energy, and dreams? Maybe it was a career move, a promotion, a relationship, an academic degree, some accolade, social status, or wealth? However, the achievement did not meet expectations nor its anticipated happiness! Emptiness, disappointment, and maybe even sadness invaded your color filled dreams. Satisfaction was an illusion which sailed away unworthy of the sacrifices made to attain it..

Dawn! A new day is on the verge of its possibilities. Will it be routine? Mundane? Challenging? Disappointing? Exhausting? Exciting? End in uncertainties? Will it finish on a good note with enthusiasm and hope for another day?

This abandoned boat is a reminder of King Solomon’s lament that “There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after” (Ecclesiastes 1:11)*

Does that mean that someday we will be just a moment spent? A still photo sitting on a mantel? An old census notation? A faded, moss covered name? A memory lost in some dark, genealogical archive?

The child in the photo is just beginning a life time of self perception i.e. something more than just interacting with the world. Recognizing oneself in mirrors or photos begins at an early age and continues into an awareness of how others perceive us. Those concerns develop into frequent preoccupations with self image. Significant time and energy is wasted on managing perceptions we have about ourselves or how we think others think about us.