Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek is a favorite game for many children, perhaps because it’s reassuring to know someone is looking for us. The game seems to evolve naturally from its precursor of Peek-a-boo, where babies learn very quickly to look for their parents and are reassured and amused when rewarded with their reappearance.

The idea of someone looking for us can, of course, have more ominous overtones. Perhaps we’ve been remiss in completing a task; perhaps we’ve done something wrong. Perhaps we’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or, perhaps, we are being called for a particular job.

I’m writing this on Groundhog Day, when folks will gather to watch a lowly groundhog emerge from hiding to seek his shadow. Will spring be early or late? I imagine that old Punxsutawny Phil is sometimes reluctant to face the crowd. Maybe he feels unworthy of the task before him, or maybe he’s just slow to leave his comfort zone.

Living in the southern states, I have a tendency to hide during winter months, staying indoors in front of a fire, limiting my outdoor excursions to times when the temperature is above freezing. Particularly when times are hard, when chaos abounds, or life changes unexpectedly, I want to withdraw from the world and process my thoughts before I act.

I would not make a good Minnesotan.

I am not alone in my desire to hide. Sometimes we’re admonished to keep our head down, stay quiet, and go about our business, putting our trust in authorities to act responsibly and legally. Sometimes we hide to avoid drawing attention to ourselves or offending someone. Sometimes we feel unworthy. Sometimes we hide out of guilt. Sometimes we hide out of fear.

Meanwhile, the world turns, shots are fired, and people die.

I did not set out to write a political post, but in times such as these we cannot hide. When action is required, we have to stand up and be present, no matter how much we may want to withdraw into a cave. Whether our troubles are personal or on a global stage, we cannot hide from them. Instead we acknowledge our difficulties and seek solutions that lead to a better path.

The crisis in our nation is not about immigration. It is about truth.

If America is to survive, we must return to the Code of Law. We must hold our elected and appointed officials accountable to the Constitution. We must demand the truth from our leaders and ourselves. We must stand up and be present.

We cannot hide. We must seek. May God help us, as we, the people, seek justice and truth while finding our way back to domestic tranquility.