The parking lot symbolized what once was but would never be again.
In the early 1980s, Ryan’s Steakhouse was the most popular eating establishment in Greenwood, SC. One could choose from a bar of meats, salads, vegetables, starches, and homemade desserts—or order from a selection of juicy steaks. Sunday lunches—as well as Sunday nights after church—saw the restaurant packed.
Then other popular restaurants encroached on Ryan’s territory. Places like Chiles, O’Charley’s, and Outback Steakhouse. Ryan’s cut out their signature steaks and went solely to a food bar. Crowds thinned. And one day, they closed their doors. Financial struggles, along with waning crowds, made the decision.
What’s left of Ryan’s was once on my daily walking route. As I walked up and down its parking lot, I thought back on what once was. Cars packed the parking lot and overflowed into a neighboring restaurant’s lot. Lines of people snaked out of the front door, waiting to pay and be seated. The smell of steaks simmering on the grill filled the air, along with conversations and laughter as people mingled.
But no more. Grass grew through cracks in the asphalt. Leaves and pine straw littered the lot. Empty pallets, pieces of rock, and other left-behind paraphernalia spoiled the ground—as if someone was in a hurry or reluctant to leave.
Sometimes, as I walked through the deserted parking lot, I longed for the good ‘ole days. Yet, I know they’ll never return. What once brought satisfaction to many, me included, won’t ever again.
King Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes, knew disappointment as well. He hadn’t sampled Ryan’s, but he had everything else. As the wealthiest man alive, he could, and did. However, nothing brought him lasting satisfaction. Pleasure was always one grasp away. Just when he thought he had found it, the wind blew it from his grasp.
Such is the nature of things, whatever they are. Restaurants, relationships, play toys, possessions, power, prestige. They’re all temporary, here for our momentary enjoyment. Perhaps that’s why Jesus said to store our treasures in heaven … to invest in what outlasts time. Those things that will have a lasting influence long after we’re gone.
The Ryans of the world lose their popularity and often close their doors. Your life, too, will one day end, but you can leave a legacy for others to remember and emulate.
Father, guide me to invest in what will outlive my life.
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