Clouds and Possibilities again!

   I have always found clouds to be incredibly fascinating. Maybe it is a "superman-syndrome" effect of wanting to fly among them. Needless to say, as a young man, I often dreamt of flying. The clouds and the sky seem to have endless possibilities. In those dreams, I knew I could do the impossible. The air seemed fresher. In my 20's, I would also go mountain climbing every Friday just to be as close as possible to the clouds. Not often did I meet them. And for the few times I did; I felt as if I were on Mount Tabor.
   Even without meeting the clouds, the panoramic view of the city was worth all the sweat and anxiety of each mountain climb. The air was always there around and within me. I seemed closer to the blue sky with its white clouds. An added bonus was gazing at the sunset with its flaming hues! A friend of mine, a dream analyst, said to me many years later:
   "The reason why the young dream of flying is simply because they have such high ambitions."
   Now that I am an older man; I no longer dream of flying. I can't remember the last time I climbed a mountain. Perhaps as we age, life's experiences tend to sober many of us. When we once dreamt of doing great things; we come down to earth. The imagery of Jesus being lifted up while the disciples looked on and then, a cloud taking him from their sight is a powerful one.
It stays in our consciousness even today. Mark, one of the Gospel writers, adds: "... and so, the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven." [Mr. 16, 17]
We cannot compete with such imagery. Our modern minds make us skeptical. I think of these men and women with their earthly ambitions, suddenly replacing them with more lofty goals, purer and more precise. They could now "fly into the clouds" and achieve the impossible. History confirms their success. Possibilities exist. No need to stand simply gazing at the sky! That moment changed these followers forever.
   Let us raise our eyes this summer. Take a second look at the sky and the clouds. Are our ambitions still earthbound?
Who knows? I may soon put on my walking shoes and find that mountain again! At least, I can start by dreaming!