By Glenn Koster
Walking Through Life
July is the month we celebrate our nation’s independence. This year marks 250 years. It should be a time of true celebration.
However, every summer is also a time when most celebrate additional freedoms. Kids get the summer off from school. Families take vacations to escape the heat, our work, and city life. The summer is filled with holidays—from Memorial Day to Independence Day to Labor Day.
I am about to embark on a lengthy walk across the state of Michigan. Like most summers or vacations, my walk will take a great deal of preparation. Let me give you some examples of what I have had to do to prepare.
The first thing I had to do was decide why. Why would someone want to walk over 350 miles, especially in the heat of summer. This had long ago been decided by previous walks I have done—all with a purpose to raise awareness for foster care and adoption. This journey will be to raise statewide awareness in Michigan.
I also had to decide where my walk would start and where it would end. This summer’s walk will start in Central Lake, Mich., where I was abandoned as a 6-year-old child. The walk will end in Hazel Park, where I was first adopted in 1963.
The next major preparation was planning where I would walk. My journey will take me through Grand Rapids, where we recently buried my adoptive Mom. Then I will journey through Lansing, Michigan’s capital city, but also a city where I will meet with two guys who I have known online for about 3 years. Like me, they walk to raise awareness for foster care and adoption. Our stories are similar but vastly different. We were all abandoned early in life and went through the foster care system. The difference is that I was adopted (twice) while they never experienced the joy of adoption.
I also had to consider where I would stop each night for the rest, what I would eat along the way, and how I would survive the heat of summer on the road. Fortunately, my wife, Charlcie, will be close by in an RV to provide meals, nighttime rest, and a cool spot for relief during the day.
Stay tuned for the details as this journey occurs, beginning on July 6.
By now, you are probably wondering how this applies to you and your life? Remember this column is known as “Walking Through Life.”
The reality is that in our lives, we must each wrestle with these questions on a regular basis. How do we see our lives developing—and what do we hope to accomplish in our lives? Where are we headed in life? How do we see our end when all is said and done? What kind of support will we need (or be able to provide to others) as we journey through life?
Ponder these thoughts and work on the answers that are necessary. Remember that for all of these to happen successfully, you need to share your plans beforehand, your experiences along the way, and your stories when your life is wrapping up.
Go, walk (or run), and enjoy life’s journey.
Glenn Koster is a former reporter, a retired pastor, and a retired IT professional who spends most of his time now walking and working with various Reno County non-profits. He can be reached at Glenn.Koster@gmail.com or by phone at 620-960-4492.