The Edge of the Hedge

Often it seems that when we are in the valley, in a fire, in storm, in a low spot, in trouble, we seek shelter.  We look for ways to “build hedges” around the area that was most exposed to the difficulty.  This is a good thing, especially at the time we build the hedge.  The hedge begins to look nice.  We begin to like the hedge.  Our focus is making sure we stay as far away from the edge of the hedge as possible.  We have just experience the serious unsettling of recent difficulties.

As the days move, we continue to be grateful for the hedge.  Actually, the hedge is beginning to really look nice.  People are complimenting us on the hedge when before they were somewhat critical of the conditions that led up to and caused the difficulties to occur in the first place.  The hedge now has become the talking points.  Everyone really likes the hedge.  It is safe and created to keep us from going down the path in that direction again.  Why?  Because a hedge is now there and people like that hedge.  There are fleeting moments where we may be tempted to go down the old path, but the hedge faithfully reminds of the difficulties of the past that were caused by going down that path and we would have to jump over the hedge and may even damage it if we did so.

One day as we are walking about the property we notice that there is an open space in the hedge.  There is a bit of a dilemma.  Did we intend for there to be hedge built there and we chose not to?  We don’t recall leaving that hole.  Was the hedge torn out by someone when no one was around?  Did this area of the hedge get trampled along the way.  Did we just not notice that people were now creating a path where there was once a hedge and no path?

As we look more carefully, we see a faint path that has been leading to that broken place in the hedge.  It appears that some of the foot steps just came to this particular location in the hedge and peered over to see what it would be like if they went to the other side of the hedge.  As a matter of fact, this is not the exact area that created the challenges and difficulties in the past and maybe someone does not believe the hedge in that area is really needed.  Well, as a whole the hedge looks nice and there are no difficulties, surely the hole in the hedge will be ok!  I truly hope no one gets hurt going that direction.  We have been in a very similar place before.

What to do?  What to do?

Seems like I heard the other day that someone was walking back and forth through that area of the hedge we built.  I wonder what that is all about.  I really hope it does not take us back into the valley, or into a fire or a storm, a low spot, or get us into some serious trouble.

I wonder if we should investigate where that path leads and determine if the hedge we all love and have admired needs to be rebuilt, reinforced, or maybe built for the first time in that area.  The hedge sure has helped us from going down the path of the previous difficulties.

What to do?  What to do?