Release Date: December 3rd, 2025Elevators
- by Elwin Garland
A short while ago a friend and member of my congregation passed away. We both shared prairie roots hence we could readily identify with many elements of the stories we shared when I visited him. Fred, in his younger years had been a bush pilot and when he talked about his plane and flying over the prairie grassland I quickly became aware of the deep joy he had when flying.
In one of our conversations, I asked him if he ever worried about getting lost flying over prairie grassland? He chuckled and assured me with, “You can’t get lost he would say. All I have to do is find a grain elevator and swoop down to read the name of the town on the side of the elevator, then I would know where I was. And I would know what compass direction I needed to follow to reach my destination. Knowing the name of the town helped me set my path.” Those prairie icons or gentle giants are slowly disappearing. Today, my friend Fred might have more difficulty finding out where he was since those guiding elevators are disappearing.
But his comment provoked me to question and to reflect on this, “What are the icons in my life I have relied on to set my life’s path or more pointedly, my spiritual path? Where did I or where can I swoop down, if you like, and get re-orientated to, or reassured that I am indeed going the right direction? What are the stalwart scriptures that help set my direction of travel, spiritual landmarks that I need and rely upon for reassurance or spiritual correction?
In my reflecting I also wonder who are the people in the past who have been there for me to rely upon for guidance on my spiritual journey? Who are the present people and especially which scriptures function like Fred’s prairie elevators?
And I must also acknowledge that there are books as well as other writings which I return to because the author’s wisdom.
- Elwin Garland is interim supply pastor at Brussels Mennonite Fellowship.