When I was little, my Mom had a saying she'd blurt out when the cacophony of our young demands got the best of her. We knew it was time to give Mom a little space was when we'd hear her plead, "Stop the world - I want to get off!"
Today, I understand how she felt.
It's funny - last week I blithely linked to an awesome article by singer Nicole Nordeman about how God challenged her to stand up to the cultural idea we've absorbed that we all have to be stressed and exhausted for our entire adult lives. I fell in love with one line in particular, where she said something to the effect of, "I want to regain control over the climate of my life, rather than letting it swing me around by the tail."
Ah, such wise words. Unfortunately, it appears life has me be the tail this week, and is swinging with wild abandon. I'm trying to keep in mind the reassuring words of my law school friend who once said - as he headed off to take a nap an hour before our Torts final - "Things tend to work out." God has a pretty amazing track record of proving my friend true in spectacular and astonishing ways, so I'm not entirely wrecked; I'm expecting some miracles anytime now. But I'd be lying if I denied that this sort of ride always makes me a tad nauseous.
So there you have it. Not very shiny-happy-people, but what can I say? If you need something to lift you up, here's my survival recipe for today:
1. Pray
2. Call or email a friend who gets it
3. Look at the hippo picture again
4. Repeat #1
(Reassuring note: After posting this, I remembered how blogger Ayelet Waldman alerted her friends and family that she was skidding too close to the edge via a long blog about the suicide rates of people just like her. Please know that this is not that post :) I'm okay, just a tad overwhelmed. And I feel much better having blogged. Thank you all for being part of my #2.)
6 comments:
Trisha--this is so dead on. Thanks for sharing it.
I'm gonna print that quote and tape it everywhere.
Trish! I know exactly what you mean. Just take a deep breath and ride it out. That's what I'm always trying to tell myself--just breathe, and it'll get better. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but it does always pass ... eventually :) I also highly recommend occasionally hiding from the world under the blankets at home with a treat and a good TV show. :) Be brave and hang in there and feel free to send an email rant anytime!
One of the things that bolsters me: When things overwhelm me or my faith falters on any level or I hit a valley of any kind...
I am always made aware of how many friends and/or family members that believe in me or believe FOR me. I know from reading all of our collective comments that you are immensely loved and we all have faith IN you and FOR you. I also know that I'll soon be reading a post about how God stopped that tail thrashing.
You lift me up so often. I hope our comments do the same for you.
Philippians 1:3-6 <--read it
thank you so much for your comforting words... i appreciate them. and i hope you find some peace, i hope you find yourself floating. i love your list, simple and to the point, and incredibly essential at times like you seem to be describing yourself in now. best wishes.
:)
Hope things get better soon, Trish. Thanks for the quote and for posting the hippo picture. There's just something so soothing about it.
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