Graduation,
marriage,
starting a new job,
buying a new house,
becoming a parent,
burying a parent:
we cross these thresholds
sometimes blithely,
innocently,
joyfully;
sometimes bitterly
only after
much struggle,
suffering,
and sometimes only
when we set our face
to Jerusalem.

There is a certain sadness
of saying goodbye to old friends
that joins our joy
as our new identity emerges
on the new leg of our journey.

We set our faces
towards our next destinations
or at least
our imaginings
of that destination
in our limited
understanding
and prepare
for rejection along the way.

It is scary out here
after crossing the threshold
after saying goodbye
to those we love
after setting our hand
to the plow
longing to look back
like Lot’s wife,
but knowing
we can’t.

Perhaps
none of us
is truly fit
for the kingdom of God.

Perhaps
none of us
is truly fit
to so much
as gather the crumbs.

Yet still
Jesus says
“Follow me”.
Yet still
the call is overwhelming
and the finish line is
the new starting line.