A friend celebrated a milestone birthday yesterday, and as her "gift" she asked everyone to a lesson learned (or "what I know" to quote Oprah) and a resolution moving forward.
What I know is we all need a reset button.Like a computer, there are times when we become overwhelmed by demands on our time, health and wallet, by attempts to multitask, by disappointment, loss and heartbreak, by life. We freeze up. We stop working, and worries just spin through our heads like a Mac's color wheel when the computer stalls out.
A restart fixes the Mac. It's not so simple for us, but in these moments, we too need a reset button--a touchstone that reminds of us a basic, incontrovertible fact that helps us find perspective.
For me, the reset button is the Scarborough epiphany.
Several years ago, while standing amid castle ruins worrying about being 40, single, broke and unemployed, I had an amazing, unexpected moment of insight. The early Saints--God-touched and made mad by it--would have called it an epiphany. It was nothing earth-shattering, just one of those moments when head knowledge becomes heart knowledge.
I, like most people, want assurances that everything will be all right. We strive for security in work, in money, in relationship, but there is no such thing. It all comes with risk.
This thought rolled through my mind as I looked around the promontory defended and lost by neolithic peoples, Romans, Saxons, Vikings and Normans. No matter how secure their defenses, they eventually fell. And no matter how hard we try, we will, too.
The epiphany was: Life IS the blessing; everything else is the cherry on top. And my attitude is a matter of faith. I either believe life without a safety net is an adventure for the soul or I live in the smallness of fear and worry all my days.
I'm glad my friend's request reminded me of my reset button. I've been letting worries get to me--and that is no way to live. So... excuse me while I restart.
3 comments:
Jesus said fear is of the devil. Albert Brooks said fear is what keeps us from moving on to the next plane of existence (I love the movie "Defending Your Life"). And though I know this to be true, fear continues to rule me. Thanks for the reminder to keep fighting the good fight. Now, where did I put that reset button?
Yeah, you can't have fear and faith at the same time. I'm in the middle of resetting, too. Good topic!
And the one up above, that would do well posted at a few group sites. Maybe TWRP, or anyone who invites members to post. You make a lot of valid points!
Thanks, Liana. I so agree that you can't have fear and faith at the same time, and I personally would rather cling to faith than fear.
And that's for the idea of cross-posting the Why Write Romance blog. I'll look into other places to post.
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