Independence and Inefficiency
On Ellis Island, Ladd introduced me to his theory that “the Plan is not about efficiency.” Preparedness, resource management, storage, savings, all the principles leading us to more efficient living–these are not the goal. No matter how efficient we are, every day requires preparation and replenishment. We eat living food, our bodies return to a state of rest, we have no option to “set and forget” our own maintenance. Every day we return to living sources.
He mentioned again that we seek so much to streamline, improve, and optimize our lives, suggesting that perhaps the goal is to simply deal with the horribly inefficient scenarios placed before us, put up with all the crap, and learn to have a good attitude about it.
Wandering through visual representations of data and statistics, artifacts and photographs, strolling past stories of huddled masses yearning to be free, I thought about our pursuit of a better life and our efforts to change - rather than endure - difficult situations. Maybe the inefficiencies that serve as my stumbling blocks are actually reminders- types and shadows- of the importance of returning to living resources. Living food, living water, living scriptures, living Christ… all of these require regular remembrance, not a one-time stockpiling effort. The genius of an inefficient (yet highly effective) plan is the continuous opportunity to reevaluate, repent, and return.
