I
recently read the book, “The Great Gatsby” by Scott Fitzgerald. It was an interesting read. I am pretty sure I read the book while in
High school, but remembered nothing of it.
It felt kind of like a soap opera as I read it. The Hollywood version should be interesting to
see when it comes out, however not family friendly I am sure.
One theme
that ran through the whole book for me was the idea of the “empty spot.” Each character was in search of something
better… more money, more attention, more things, someone to love and adore them
more, more, more, more. Nobody seemed
happy with what they had. Life would be
better “if only” they had this or
that. They were each trying to live out
their fantasies of the perfect life.
Nick
seemed to be the only stable character.
He hadn’t decided what he was in search for entirely. He sought stability in his career while
considering all of the other options to fill his void in life. Watching everyone else pursue their dreams of
grandeur helped him realize what was really important to him. By the end of the story he had gained a new perspective.
Jay
Gatsby spent his whole life in pursuit of someone or something to fill that
spot deep within… that spot that defined him.
Yet, even at the end of his life he was still left with a void. All of them sought something… Daisy wanted
security, riches, and true love. Tom
wanted status, accolades, and to be adored by a woman. His wife wasn’t enough for him, his heart
longed for another. Myrtle, his mistress,
loved the opportunities money brought… extravagant things, security,
reputation, status, and the hopes of a better life.
Each
character attempted to fill their “empty spot” in some fashion. It may surprise you to hear this, but I think
our lives mirror these characters in a sense.
We may not be having affairs, seek fame or fortune, or even have
questionable business dealings, but we do have an “empty spot” deep inside of
us that longs to be filled. We may be
attempting to fill it with a variety of things to no avail.
Have you
ever seen the little kids shape game where you match various shapes and then
the pieces fall inside of the circle? We
have that game where I work so I see it all the time. One time I watched my son, when he was little
play this game in frustration. He seemed to think that whatever shape he chose
should fit inside the space no matter what.
He would shove, push, bang, and smash to try to make his shape fit with
no luck. All he ended up doing was
getting more upset while he still held the piece in his hand. Sometimes we do the same thing when it comes
to our “empty spot.” We try to get
anything and everything to fit to fill it, but nothing works and we end up
feeling emptier in the end.
The
storms of life can challenge our faith and sometimes even uproot it if we allow
it. Storms can be devastating. Life can be challenging at times and
circumstances can sometimes feel overwhelming.
It is only when we are grounded and rooted deep in God that we can
withstand anything that comes our way.
The Great
Gatsby was a great reminder to me that no matter what storms blow into my life,
I need to remember to stay rooted in God.
When we begin to focus on our circumstances and what we “don’t have,”
it’s easy to allow that emptiness to fill our hearts again. God is my “empty spot” filler and I don’t
ever want to forget it.
If you
are in search of something or someone to fill your “empty spot,” I hope you
will consider my “empty spot” filler. He
won’t disappoint.
Living to
leave a legacy,
Julie