While You Are Making Other Plans

Somewhere we have read a sentence which says “Life is what happens to you while you are making other plans.”¹ We are all subject to unexpected events. We all need each other. No man ever knows when he will need another.

“There, but for the grace of God”² is an often quoted phrase that applies to all people. A person in health, successful, happy, never knows when accident or illness or misfortune will change his situation. We all have reason to be grateful, to keep humble and to acknowledge the Source of all that is ours, and also to appreciate other people. And we all must face the reality that few things stay the same, except the basic laws and principles and purposes—the everlasting things of life.

And even when a change improves upon the past, it is sometimes difficult to adjust to. Growth is change. Learning is change. We never really learn anything, and still think quite the same. Often we would like to stay where we are, be what we are, do what we are doing, keep things forever as they are, freeze life, in a sense—or so we suppose. But it isn’t possible. Even if we did nothing to change, even if we could isolate ourselves, to insure ourselves, to keep our loved ones close, to keep our lives in health and happiness, to improve, to repent, to be grateful for all that is good—and to have faith and hope even on days that are down and discouraging.

And whatever happens, there is this solid assurance that life is everlasting, and that eternal progress is its purpose, with justice and mercy, and with hope and faith for all our fears and frustrations. “Life is what happens while you are making other plans.”