Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Next time I will say yes

I have a tendency to be ridiculous. Story: Part one- At work yesterday I had a headache from hell. Part two- Coworker offers me headache medicine. Part three- I say no thank you.

Why? I don’t know. I have always done that. I just can’t accept things from others. It’s stupid, I know. [Coworker] thinks it was stupid of me. Truly, it was stupid of me. 

I think I was subconsciously trying to prove to myself and others that I don’t need others’ help. That’s stupid, I know.

I do need help. I need a lot of help. Desperately. I think I would totally lose it if I could not talk to those important to me. When I call or text just to say hi, I am apparently in need of human interaction.

I need people. I need you, whoever is reading this. We all need all of us.

“Things have a way of falling to pieces. The shingles blow off the roof. The chrome rusts through and the exhaust pipe drags. Cuffs fray, nylons run, hair falls out, joints stiffen and wattles appear under our chins. Nothing is exempt…”[1]

Life has a way of constantly reminding us of limitations. We run out of time. We get tired. We get hungry. We get thirsty. We don’t understand. We can’t be there. We can’t do it all. We get headaches.

I, hereby, squash the perception that I have it all together. To be honest, I am walking a rough road to redemption. To be kind, I am a work in progress. I know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that I wouldn’t be where I am today without the people in my life.


As Kenny puts it, “I didn’t get here alone. That road’s just too rough alone. I might be the one the spotlights on. But I didn’t get here alone.”

The truth is that I wouldn’t even be close to where I am if it weren’t for the people who have pushed me…

To dream big
To believe anything is possible
To see the good in others
To love people
To set aside my selfishness
To be merciful and offer grace
To help find freedom
To discern which battles are worth fighting
To truly listen to other people
To work hard
To be patient

Here is my point. Being humble is different than being thankful. I find it easy to be thankful for the people in my life. I struggle to be humble enough to set aside my own ridiculous pretentiousness to accept a stupid headache pill.

So here I go… I will give and accept. I am no savior or hero. I am simply a man who needs help just like everyone else.


[1] Thomas Howard, Christ the Tiger.

3 comments:

  1. 1. if you have a headache and i offer you medicine and you don't take it, i will shoot it down your throat dennis the menace style
    2. i'm glad we don't get where we are alone
    3. i'm glad you were/are one of those in my life!

    ReplyDelete
  2. 1) wow. youre mean.
    2) me too
    3) right back at ya my friend. even though you just threatened me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. playing with those fish just made me late for work.

    ReplyDelete