Well, it's Thursday. Tomorrow is Friday. Why is this unusual? Well, tomorrow is finally my Ragnar relay!!! =D I'm probably equal parts excited and nervous for this. I'm still getting into doing big events, so my stomach does all sorts of jumping jacks just thinking about what's coming up. Just get me to the starting line, and I'll settle and be one cool cucumber, but until then....I guess I'll just be unable to stop moving. :)
On a completely different note, I've been thinking about a particular topic a lot lately so I thought I would share. People, especially within the Christian community, seem to have this phobia of emotional pain. I usually hear things like "guard your heart", "guard your mind", "be smart", etc. You get the picture. Now everything is coming from good intentions, I understand that. And you don't necessarily want to be flinging your affections around to any and everyone who you come in contact with. But does that mean that you should only pursue those relationships which will, a) be maintained for the rest of your life (theoretically), b) contain only good feelings, and c) be a "benefit" to you? I don't necessarily disagree with looking for relationships with people that have these qualities, but I also think it's unhealthy and snobby to completely stay away from any relationship which doesn't fit all these criteria.
To the first point - there are seasons for everything, including many relationships. You learn something from every relationship you enter into, whether that relationship lasts a week or ten years! I make friends very easily, as most of you know, and I work very hard to keep the ones that I really feel a connection with, but I'm also okay if a relationship just dies out. I'll pursue a relationship, even if I'm pretty sure it has a limited time frame, because every person you come in contact with shapes you.
Now to the second point.... good feelings. Now, I'll be the first person to say that of course you want a relationship that feels good! But, at the same time, can you honestly say that the times you have grown the most have been during happy times? I can't. Happy times do cause some change, but, at least for me, I have grown the most and learned some of the most important things during my WORST moments - sad, angry, disappointed, frustrated, you name it. So while I don't actively seek out relationships for the purpose of pushing me to my low points, I don't run away from them. Because they challenge me - they challenge me to be a better person, to contemplate what I believe, why I believe it, and to figure out what it means to be me. I don't know about you, but there are days when I feel like an enigma even to myself!
And now the last point - I don't believe that every relationship will be of the biggest benefit to you. But you may be needed by someone else to help them overcome a particular obstacle in their life. One-sided friendships are challenging, and you definitely need to be in a healthy place emotionally for it to not be a drain, but I believe sometimes we may need to be there for someone that we would never let be there for ourselves. And besides, just because you can't logically see the benefit to yourself out of a relationship, doesn't mean there isn't one!
I realize that was a whole lot of thoughts, and I'm not sure how well I explained it, but it's been on my mind a lot lately. Emotional pain isn't fun, I'm not trying to sugarcoat it, but I don't think it should be avoided nearly as strenuously as many people tell me it should. It's okay to live, it's okay to experience heartbreak, it's really okay! You live, you learn, and you cry. Life is full of ups and downs. It seems like a lot people would prefer to stay right at the happy medium - gently rollings hills of emotions, but nothing too too high or too too low. Me? I'm more of a roller coaster fan. Give me huge ups, followed by huge downs. It's all part of really living a fully experienced life, in my book.
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