Spontaneous Strength
Recently, I was confronted with a situation which I knew was coming, but was totally unprepared to handle. For the past few months, the tension had been building as the moment approached when the bomb would be dropped, everyone would know everything, and the huge, horrible secret would be out. That moment came two days ago.
After a long, exhausting day of work and study, I returned home on choked roadways, (there was a bus strike, causing massive traffic tie-ups) to find, waiting on my voice mail, a terrible message full of yelling, oaths of violent vengence and unmeasurable fury.
The atomic bomb had been dropped. All hell was breaking loose.
What to do!? Where to turn for aid, advice, solace!?
Nowhere.
Nothing to do but pick up that phone and jump into the fray.
I was horrified, dumbfounded, utterly unsure of what to say or do. On the other end of the phone came a deluge of invective, threats of murderous violence, moments of utter despondency and despair coupled with cries to heaven!
How on earth do I say anything helpful here?!
What can I do to help, but not take sides or alienate anyone!?
Then, out of nowhere, the answer appeared in me like bedrock at the bottom of the murkiest pond - certainty!
Suddenly, I knew exactly what to say, exactly how to exert the force I needed to get the result that was required. The help I was previously unable even to conceive of came pouring out of me. I took control of the fear and used it to forge resolution I had never even considered as an option beforehand.
I took control of myself in a situation that had, up to that point, threatened to paralyze me.
I took the right path.
I did what I knew to be right.
The worst moments rose up, crashed down and washed away, as I saw us through them with strength, surety, love, conviction, tolerance and reason. In short, I was able to help when help was most desperately needed.
Sometimes, we don't know what to do until the terrible happens. Then, the only thing to do is the right thing.
Amazing.
After a long, exhausting day of work and study, I returned home on choked roadways, (there was a bus strike, causing massive traffic tie-ups) to find, waiting on my voice mail, a terrible message full of yelling, oaths of violent vengence and unmeasurable fury.
The atomic bomb had been dropped. All hell was breaking loose.
What to do!? Where to turn for aid, advice, solace!?
Nowhere.
Nothing to do but pick up that phone and jump into the fray.
I was horrified, dumbfounded, utterly unsure of what to say or do. On the other end of the phone came a deluge of invective, threats of murderous violence, moments of utter despondency and despair coupled with cries to heaven!
How on earth do I say anything helpful here?!
What can I do to help, but not take sides or alienate anyone!?
Then, out of nowhere, the answer appeared in me like bedrock at the bottom of the murkiest pond - certainty!
Suddenly, I knew exactly what to say, exactly how to exert the force I needed to get the result that was required. The help I was previously unable even to conceive of came pouring out of me. I took control of the fear and used it to forge resolution I had never even considered as an option beforehand.
I took control of myself in a situation that had, up to that point, threatened to paralyze me.
I took the right path.
I did what I knew to be right.
The worst moments rose up, crashed down and washed away, as I saw us through them with strength, surety, love, conviction, tolerance and reason. In short, I was able to help when help was most desperately needed.
Sometimes, we don't know what to do until the terrible happens. Then, the only thing to do is the right thing.
Amazing.
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