Scotland is a metaphor for life. At any given time, each of us is either in the highlands, the lowlands, or on the slopes that connect them. Spiritually, the highlands are near the Throne of God, the lowlands sink to the lowest circles of Hades, and we on the slopes are either heading one way or the other.
We travel upward on a straight and narrow path. Ascent is often difficult and aid usually invisible. Often, we only make headway by crawling.
The descending slopes are broad, designed to be easily strolled and strutted down. There is music, entertainment, good food, and drink to be found in the many comfortable pavilions along the way. Oddly, many who stroll down the hill think some who race past them are wrong. “He’s going too fast.”, they say about those who race past them down the slope, even as they maintain their leisurely pace downwards.
All those going downhill are aware that they can turn around, and head for the highlands. They usually say, “In a minute, maybe I will.” They rarely can summon the strength to turn around, and leave those with whom they enjoy their pleasant travels for what they know is going to be a long, lonely, often painful journey away from all they hold dear. Each of them believes that the ascent is more difficult than it actually is.
Some who study the highlands, lowlands, and slopes have concocted an idea that the spirit can ascend to the highlands while the body continues in the other direction. Others, of a similar ilk, say that a person who’s strolling towards the lowlands, and knows he should be trying to ascend, is given a “free pass” uphill when his travel-time runs out, simply because he “knew” what was right, even if he didn’t do it.
Catholic Fundamentalists say that one’s soul, mind, and body have to be moving upwards together for the soul to be able to spend eternity in the highlands. That is the safest assumption to make.
