COLUMN: Grey Matters – A tribute for way-makers

“The Lord says, “Stand by where the roads cross, and look. Ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it. And you will find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16

Jeremiah’s words reach across centuries to speak to us at moments when we find ourselves at a crossroads, unsure which way to go, longing for guidance and comfort. Recently my friend who spent much of his life building and maintaining roads in southeast Manitoba moved on to streets of gold.

What I learned from him is that road-building is at its heart, ditch-building. The road only appears when the hard and messy work of creating ditches is done. It happens slowly with more time spent below than on top. Isn’t that how life is? We often spend years working through challenges, and only in hindsight do we see how far we’ve come. In his younger years my friend wasn’t known in his family as a friendly person, and yet much later in his life he became a super-encourager to many. I can’t get into all the possible reasons for the change, but transformation was real.

For my friend, making connections—both physical and relational—became more than a job; it became a calling in his later life. At Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV), he often brought young men to volunteer, teaching them basic skills and helping them feel part of a timeless community. I cherished his visits to the staff room, where he would affirm the staff and me. I loved he used the positive Low German word ‘yo’ (yes) very often. “Yo, you are doing a good job” he would tell us many times.

Jeremiah calls us to see life as a journey—one with crossroads, choices, and opportunities to find out and follow “the good way.” Jeremiah urges us to ask for the old ancient paths, to seek time-tested wisdom, and to find the “good way.” Just as a well-built road requires careful planning and strong ditches to withstand storms, our lives need the guidance of ancient faith and love. The slow, difficult work done in our younger years can help us build better in the later years. In life, the periods spent wrestling with challenges, setbacks, or personal growth may feel unglamorous or even discouraging, but these are the times when our character can truly be shaped. Just as a road only appears after the hard and messy work of creating ditches is complete, our lives are strengthened and defined by the perseverance, humility, and wisdom we gain through adversity. Taking time in these trenches and not taking short-cuts is the very process that prepares us to walk confidently on “the good way” – the original path God made for us between heaven and earth.

Gary Dyck is a chaplain and spiritual care provider at a hospital and personal care home in the Southeast.