Get Up

Look Out World!

It’s probably safe to say that most of us, when we were kids, had no clue of what to expect once we reached adulthood. Conquering the world, making lots of money, marrying Mr. Right or Ms. Right and living happily ever after, were probably some of the dreams high on our list. But, bad choices, setbacks, unplanned pregnancies, divorce and other life issues threw huge curves in our plans. Then, for the most part, our dreams were postponed or forgotten altogether. After a series of disappointments, some of us, lost all expectation of good things coming our way.

I Got This?

We are fallible. We make mistakes, sometimes the same ones over and over again. We give ourselves too much credit. We, sometimes, think that we are indeed infallible. Sometimes, we are blindsided because we thought certain troubles would never come our way. For many of us, this view led to depression or denial. Yes, life can be hard and sometimes it knocks the wind out of us. But have you ever noticed how we still survive despite what we’ve gone through? This tenacity, this strength (though small) is still strength, nonetheless.

False Evidence Appearing Real

Fear is the culprit that zaps our confidence. It says, “What if you fail, what if it doesn’t work or it says, “It didn’t work before.” It tells us that we’re not meant to be happy. Fear talks quite a bit! No wonder it monopolizes the conversation on our evening news!

You Don’t Get to Talk to Me

Think about this: It’s not the pain that we experience or the trouble that came our way that shot down our dreams. What stopped us is our perception of it. We thought the situation had the power to tell us that we’re done. It didn’t! It only showed up as a neutral figure. We put words into its mouth. But the truth is, we had the choice; the power, if you will, to tell “it” how it was going to be from there. However, because we’re human and emotional, there’s no way making that statement would be an easy one.

It’s Your Call

So, this is not to say that we should walk around pretending not to hurt. That would bring about possible mental, emotional and physical problems. It still does not negate the fact that we ultimately have the last word. If only we used that strength (though small again), to push against the pain, we could rise above what came against us. It maybe, that to rise, we should get counseling and cry out to the One who has the answer to all life’s problems.

Fight or Flight?

We have to fight; fight to not give up, fight to believe in the impossible, fight to believe that good can come to us, fight the fears that cover us like a schoolyard bully. Why do we have to fight? We have to fight because “life” does not always play fair. Trouble comes to everyone; the poor, the rich, the good and the bad. It sees no color, no status, no religious affiliation. So here’s another thought to ponder: Since we are moving anyway through all that we go through, would it hurt to move towards hope? Hope give us a chance to heal. Maybe you’ve heard, “a merry heart does good like a medicine.”

Don’t Let Go!

If we make the choice, yes choice, to tenaciously hope despite how we feel, our feelings will eventually catch up with us. Then, it will no longer be a conscious effort to hope, but a smooth natural transition to a life with new possibilities. Not allowing hope to come to us causes our soul to never recover because we have given it a perpetual beating.

Oh No You Don’t

Again, yes we do fail, make mistakes while trying to do our best or at least what we know at the time. But, we have to forgive our “own” transgressions. Maybe we could have a more pleasurable life if we, remember when we mess up that we are made of dust; dirt if you will. What happens when we get dirty? We wash ourselves! So, let’s wash ourselves after we’ve gotten into muddy life situations of our own doing. Let’s even wash ourselves when someone else has dirtied us. After washing, let’s dry ourselves off and put on clean clothes of hope and just refuse to be bullied by fear or self-doubt any longer.

Enough!

Bullies are the way they are because of their own fears. Our fears are afraid that we’ll become everything we are meant to be. We shouldn’t be afraid to be happy, to succeed or to prosper. We were born for that! Does it take courage to stand up to a bully? Of course, it does! But, once we take that swing with all the force we can muster, we become free from fear’s constant intimidation. So, let’s swing and keep swinging until fear runs from us! We can overcome after life’s big blows knock us down. But we have to Get Up!

Copyright Jacquelyn Lott “All Rights Reserved”