An Echoing Tune

“These things—the beauty, the memory of our own past—are good images of what we really desire; but if they are mistaken for the thing itself they turn into dumb idols, breaking the hearts of their worshippers. For they are not the thing itself; they are only the scent of a flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we have not heard, news from a country we have never yet visited.”

C.S.Lewis

I love this quote.  For one, C.S. Lewis penned it very eloquently, and secondly, I relate very well to the thought process that he is describing here.  You see, I am very good at echoing tunes.

I am a people-lover.  I’m not sure what the technical, scientific term for that is…if there is one...which there probably is. Homo-sapien-phile?  Eh, that just sounds weird.  Let’s stick with people-lover.  I enjoy making new friends and I treasure old friendships.  I love finding ways to connect with people, and once we connect, we stay connected for a long, long time.  Saying good bye has always been hard, especially when there’s the prospect of not seeing the person again. 

I love memories.  For quite a long time, I would journal when my family and I went on trips.  I would journal about each day and all the things we did during that day, including little details, such as what we ate for meals, funny conversations, and the scenery.  I have gotten out of that habit now, probably because now when I go on trips, they are for extended periods of time instead of a week here and a week there like when I was younger.  Maybe the thought of writing extensively about each day over an extended period of time is intimidating.  But when I did journal about every little thing each day, I remember wanting to preserve that moment. To catch those memories and upon re-reading my journals in the coming months, to be able to re-live those moments again.

“ Well wait,” you might be saying. “What does this have to do with you being good at echoing tunes?” Well hang in there with me! I’m getting there. 

Memories are wonderful.  People are wonderful.  Like C.S. Lewis said, memories are good images of what we really desire.  Thinking about the past and all the dear memories shows that we desire good things, things worth treasuring.  But there’s a catch. And that catch is something that I’m prone to fall prey to.  Lewis goes on to say, “But if they [the memories] are mistaken for the thing itself they turn into dumb idols, breaking the hearts of their worshippers.”  [Note: every little grammar-inclined brain cell in me wants to change ‘worshippers’ to one ‘p’ but since it is part of a quote, I will resist…] 

Memories are not real life.  Yes, that may seem obvious, but think about it.  Have you ever had an experience that you wanted to go on for a lifetime? I’m sure you have. We all have.  You want to re-live that memory over and over in your mind.  So much so that it becomes part of your real life—an echoing tune, something that is constantly ringing in your head.  This is what I am guilty of.  I am guilty of presently living in the past. 

Echoing tunes.  Hearing a beloved tune for a few times is pleasant and refreshing.  It gladdens the heart and brings joy.  However, after a pleasant tune is echoed frequently on repeat, it can become distracting.  Ah, distraction.  And not only can this tune bring distraction, but it can also bring discontentment. Discontentment? Why yes. Discontentment that you can’t be back in the past right at the moment when you originally heard that tune.  If this is ringing a bell with you, you’re not alone.

When something distracts me (which is bad enough) and further makes me discontent that I don’t have that thing (which is even worse), there’s another word for that. Hmmm…what could it be? Ah ha—an idol.  If I am distracted from where God has me here and now by a memory, and then proceed to grow discontent that I cannot be living back in the past with that memory, this fits both criteria to make it an official idol.

This is where I go, “Wait! I love my memories! Does this mean I can’t think about them ever again?!” My goodness of course not! Memories are meant to be, well, remembered. But the first step in to dethrone the memory idol. I must confess it to the Lord and repent of putting my memories above His rightful place in my life. 

Secondly, I must turn off the repeat on my echoing tune.  My memories must not resoundingly echo in my life and thus become a distraction to me.  In turning off the repeat, I can intentionally turn my mind from an attitude of discontentment to one of thankfulness for the memories God has given me.

This is sometimes hard for me.  Maybe it’s hard for you too at times. Maybe you mourn when certain seasons of your life are over.  I encourage you with the same things I encourage myself with—that where you are right now is God’s perfect plan for you.  The fact that you’re not back in that season of life means that’s not God’s best for you right here, right now.  Psalm 30:4-5 says:

“Sing praises to the Lord, O you His saints, and give thanks to His holy Name. For His anger is but a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime.  Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

Tears and mourning are good and have their proper place. But joy comes with the morning.  Joy in the unfailing love of Jesus and His perfect plan for our lives. Thank the Lord for those sweet memories, and thank Him for the opportunity to live for Him right where He has placed you. 

I don’t want to live my life to an echoing tune. By God’s grace, may we fully thrive to the tune that He has perfectly placed in our lives right here, right now.