The Ride
Proverbs 13:20 Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm.
Have you ever had that one person in your life, that when you try to discuss an issue, the topic gets so convoluted you don’t even remember what you were wanting to discuss, and somehow the discussion escalates into a heated argument about…nothing? I do too.
After years of having a relationship with a person like that, it dawned on me…I don’t have trouble communicating with anyone else but this person. I can talk about an issue and come to a solution with all types of people. I then realized it wasn’t me. I chose to change my behavior, I chose to not be a participant in behavior that had no forward movement. No movement toward a better relationship with them, or God, my friends or even becoming a better me. When I found myself being drawn into the same pattern of “one-upping” I would say, “I don’t want to talk about this anymore now. I need to think, can we come back to this later?” or I would have to say, “You may choose to behave this way, but I am choosing not to.” This defused the situation for the moment, but change never came, and that is when I realized I was on a merry-go-round.
The merry-go-round is a type of ride that, all is well as long as you stay on the ride. If you want to get off, that means changes occur and more than likely they are changes the person, or people on the ride don’t want to happen. They are comfortable with how things are, where you are, and how they are. They work very hard to keep things as they need them.
I began to look at things a little differently. I looked at the carnival as to how life is or could be. I saw people enjoying each other, communicating and walking together. Some rides they rode together. Other rides, one would stand off to the side waiting, watching, and waving, cheering their loved one as they pursued an interest without them.
I chose at that moment to get off the merry-go-round, I had been on it long enough. I had to be brave because change is hard and repetition can become a mindless comfort. Even when it was uncomfortable, I would make changes or compromises to tolerate or make do. I wanted more. Life on the merry-go-round could be fun…if you stayed in and knew your place. I wanted the life God had created me for. I wanted to start making wise, godly choices, and surround myself with people who did the same.
I got off and went on to experience life as a whole new experience. It was not easy and I had to keep reminding myself of the true cost of going back to the merry-go-round. I see the merry-go-round every once in a while…still, nothing has changed.
No, that isn’t true. I chose to change, and it was good.
Lord,
Thank you for sustaining me and guiding me.
Thank you for bringing people into my life who are wise and godly. That I can listen to, reflect, and imitate.
Help me to always seek Your wisdom, and guidance each day as I walk in this daily life.
Help me, Father, to be for those who are stuck, a good example and reflection of Your beautiful Son, Jesus.
**Thank you to my friend and brother in Christ, Luis Felipe Alaniz, for the use of his photograph. Thank you, Luis!
