Taking Things for Granted

 

It’s so easy to take things for granted. When you are young you feel life will never cease. You live dangerously, take risks, make assumptions, and live as though you are eternal.

 

As children, we are prone to dream, to imagine, to try new things, or new ways of doing things. As we age, we tend to fall into routine. We develop habits that we create, but once created, they tend to rule us. Normally it takes trauma to dislodge us from our cruise-control lifestyle. It doesn’t have to be this way.

 

It does not require trauma to change behavior, but it does take effort. It’s like a rocket attempting to leave the earth’s gravitational pull. It is possible, but it requires a controlled violence to break free. But once free of gravity’s hold, we press through to a much different experience beyond the sphere of influence which has controlled us. Outside of this orb, we encounter a near frictionless environment where we can roam literally to the edge of the known universe, if only we had time. 

 

Driven now by the inertia created by escaping the grasp of gravity, we travel to new destinations. It’s time to get child-like again. It’s time to dream, to imagine, to try new things, or new ways of doing things. You can start by acknowledging areas where we are strong and leverage those strengths as never before. Exploit them to your advantage. It is also time to realize there are weaknesses. Seek help to deal with those in order to move beyond the constraints they place on your life. Do not allow yourself to be exacerbated by things you do not do well. It’s ok. You can’t be good at everything. Focus on the things where you excel. Let the others go or let someone else do them for you.

 

Now back to taking things for granted. This can go two ways. Some assume things will never work out for them. They take for granted that they will always be “less than”. The other side of assumption is that things will always be great. Life has ups and downs. Sometimes you cannot plan for all the contingencies. Things happen. Sometimes suddenly. Sometimes seemingly insurmountable. Regardless of the event(s), you have at least two choices. You can quit or you can go on. Just like the song, “I Hope You Dance”, I implore you to never sit out, but dance!

 

Regardless of what has occurred, if you are still breathing then you have a chance to live a life of meaning and purpose. Look for allies. Find people who will encourage you, speak life to you, and help you by giving you reasons to live. You may not know of any of them right now. That’s ok. Keep looking. God would never leave you without hope. He has resources that you are not aware of yet. Ask, seek, and knock. God promised to open the door for you. You were created for purpose. Keep pressing into that purpose and you will have a fulfilled life.