It’s been a while. No, not since I’ve lived in you. I am immersed in you every day. Whether I like it or not, I am engaged with you — with your pressures, with your stresses, with your “Waits!” And though I may try to fly under the radar (how much easier it is to move unseen), still, you always find me. You find me with your wisdom; you find me with your hate. You seek out ways to destroy me; you are bent on my destruction.
But though you drag me down, “Surprise!” You will not win. I may be weak, but in my weakness, I am strong: I will stand my ground.
And if I must, I’ll go my way alone — but not quite. With head held high, I will seek strength in Him. I will view each sunrise with hope; take each blow as a challenge — to be tougher, to be wiser, to be . . . more.
Because how easy it is, flying under the radar, to forget who we are, who we were, who we always wanted to be. “Suffer little children,” He said. “Forbid them not to come unto me.” Because children are rock stars, can’t you see? If you want to know how to change the world, look into the eyes of a child. They are our hope. They are who we were supposed to be.
And so maybe I won’t always stay under the radar. Maybe I’ll fly out into the Son. Because this going-life-alone thing ain’t working, and I am tired of being afraid.
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p.s. As an exciting side note, after posting my story about my dad’s cycling accident, a sweet lady named Ashlee contacted me and wondered if I’d like to share my story on her website. The story was published two days ago. You can link to it here.
shift 
Fly out into the Sun Jess. Just remember the tale of Icarus and take heed from the error of his ways. Bask in the warm glow of the sun from a safe distance while still soaring high above our world. Be well.
Thanks, John. Good to hear from you. That’s very good advice!! Hope your weekend is going well!
My neighbor is probably considered poor by the standards of the Western world and maybe doing great by the standards of the poorest country. But the guy is mastering a life that goes completely against what most would want and yet…would probably strongly admire.
He wakes up early. Meditates and prays. Makes food for his family and exercises. Then he stays home and watches the children. He tends to his garden and IF he needs something monetary; he does a few jobs on people cars for far less than a garage. He fixes mistakes done by mechanics trying to create work in the future. When people have problems he fixes their cars for free. Then just asks one thing…when they get the money in a few days they must look deep in their hearts and act. They pay him what they believe he should get. He says when he receives the money it is enough to get him through in that period I stated above that he needs something monetary.
So far his strategy must work. His honesty has made the local auto parts store recommend him to people shopping for parts who seem overwhelmed on fixing their auto issues. So he gets customers.
When he mows his yard, he mows my yard. When I prune my trees, he gets the wood. He then cooks the food he grew himself. So life just works out for him. He does not desire money or things and yet, he will get the money and things that he needs and his family is never hungry.
His society is a society of getting ahead by helping and working with the neighbors and doing what is right.
This is a system that the world wants us to fear and look down upon. Yet maybe in a Christian sense. Maybe in a Buddhist Sense. Maybe in a people-centric sense; what he is doing is the way to live.
Most go to sleep with worry. I will not have enough. He will lay down and be relaxed and happy. He believes that whatever he needs will be provided by god. Poor or rich?
Flying under the radar – I think many of us do that because we like the comfort it gives. More often than not it gives us a sense of predictability, a sense that things will turn out in a certain way. I hope you fly out to wherever you want to go one day. Where we want to be, that often takes work. Or a twist of fate, if life decides. To want more is never really wrong; when we feel that we usually want to improve ourselves and be a better person than we are at the moment.
Congrats on having your last post re-published. Amazing work, and the story certainly touched others. Hope you are doing well, Jess. Best wishes :)
We were all once children. Sad that so many of us lost the childlike qualities that, if we had held them, would make this world a better place.
Always good to see you in my inbox Jess. I hope your dad is doing well and congrats on that post getting picked up.
Beautifully written. I am excited to see your story published on another website as well. Congratulations! That is awesome!