For Such A Time As This

Today Franklin Rock, the novel I've just read, has me thinking about time.

This page-turner about time travel has single-handedly taken me back to my childhood days on the farm and to my awkward high school years, to Madison where I attended college classes at the UW and to my time as a first-year teacher. It has even given me a glimpse into the future, which has been super intriguing and inspiring.

When I received the email inviting me to preview the book, I initially hedged, mostly because my genre of choice is usually self-help or education-related somehow. But this bulleted list from the publisher made me want more, so I agreed to take a look. And am I ever thankful that I did.

FRANKLIN ROCK

By Mark Klein

Greenbriar Publishing; January 12, 2021

ISBN 978-0976168447

Each moment exists forever, not just in our memory, but permanently in its own unique place in time. That is why it is at least theoretically possible to visit the past. Moments of time are like records in a jukebox. After you play a record, it doesn’t disintegrate. It simply returns to its permanent and unique slot, ready to be played again and again.

This means that in a very real sense no one ever dies. This fact is extremely comforting. We never lose anyone. We are with them for eternity in each of those moments we spent together. We are actively living each moment of our lives in perpetuity.

There is nothing new under the sun. Every experience, every thought, every fear or concern that we have has been had by millions before us. The story of life is the same as it has been since the dawn of man. Only the set changes. There is a reason we must repeat what everyone before us has already experienced. It implies a purpose to each of our lives.

Death is not to be feared. As long as you have learned the required lessons it doesn’t matter how long you live. The number of days one lives is secondary. Longevity is not the goal, nor is it indicative of a successful life.

Relationships are the real story of life. Maurice Burnside responding to the question of what the most important thing in life is: “Franklin, I can just say that I’m pretty sure it’s all about the people in our lives.” “When you begin to worry more about other people than yourself, when you place their troubles ahead of your own, the burdens of your own life instantly lighten.”

It is both foolish and unnecessary to worry about our choices. There is no such thing as a best or right choice. That is because any choice we make will be influenced by the billions of other choices made every day. There is no way to know the outcome of any single choice. Yogi Berra was correct: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Make what you think is the best choice, and then don’t perseverate.

There is no single way for things to work out. Choices made by you and others will simply create a different reality. Like a train heading down the track, switches are thrown, and the destination may change. No one destination is better than another. Each will yield a different set of events, but since the goal is always the same, each has the potential to get you to where you need to go.

Each of us has a mission: to go from low to high as a person. That means learning love, empathy, and compassion, and we learn these through every single relationship we develop, from the most casual to those most dear.

Everything always works out the way it should. Learn to let go. Each of us needs to focus on the mission.

Free will, if it exists at all, is limited. That is because the billions of other choices and decisions made by the rest of humanity will collectively determine the outcome of any choice or decision you make.

*****

I'd like to tell you that I couldn't put this book down, but that wouldn't be truthful. I actually put it down a lot as I attempted to devour it by its publication date last week. I couldn't help it. It's not that it didn't keep on my interest; totally the opposite, actually. There was so much rich food for thought that I needed time not only to savor the words and Franklin's experiences, but also to digest all of its intricacies along with the potential for Franklin to change the world through the power of his pen.

And the timing with its release, right before we mark another MLK, Jr. birthday and pause to celebrate the changes that just one man was able to ignite? A God wink, for sure, and a beautiful tribute. The chapter in which Franklin meets him could by itself carry this story from the shelf to your soul and give hope wings as it stirs you to action.

At a time when ~~our country~~ our world needs more trustworthy leaders,

or at least ONE leader that fights for the integrity, goodness and love

that emanated from Dr. King, Jr., along comes an optimistic new option.