The Urge to Run Away

When we are faced with circumstances that we never expected in life they can come at us like a freight train. We may feel like the wind has been knocked out of us, and also saddened by what will never be again. In the midst of it all we try to make sense of what lies ahead and gather the strength to move forward, as it is in moving forward that we will once again see all in our life that is good.

Below is a blog I wrote a few years ago that I stumbled upon today. It appeared at the right moment and is a reminder that sometimes we need to step back and remember that strength and courage always come when we need them to show us how fortunate we are.

We all have those moments in our lives where we feel overwhelmed or just plain tired. In these moments there can be an urge to run away from it all. Where another place or life seems appealing. We wouldn't be human if we didn't.

During times of struggle, it's easy to look at someone else and think their life is more exciting or less stressful than yours. But the grass is not always greener. A package may look pretty on the outside, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's pretty on the inside. What you can't see are the things that are truly happening inside, things that may be more stressful and difficult than your own trials and tribulations.

What people need to remember when times are tough, are the people and things in their life that are good. If you stop, breathe, and think things through, you will realize that things could be worse. You would remember that it's not what you have that makes your life good, but who you have in it. You would tell yourself that "this too shall pass", because we all know that it will.

Because outside forces bombard us with images of what life should be, we have a tendency to forget what a good life truly is. If you were given the life of someone else that you think has it easy, you might be surprised by what you encountered in that life. The things you saw from the outside would only be a small part of it, and you would not want the rest of it. As the old saying goes, if you put all of your troubles in a pile with everyone else, you would quickly take your own back. Once you got a good look then you would find a way to conquer your battles.

The next time you feel overwhelmed with your life, take a step back, think things through, and then strongly move forward to better times. Remembering your strength and courage will always get you through. Showing this to your children will teach them that they too can get through tough times.