Light, Love, Hope

There’s a bible verse that others love to put right in the forefront of your mind when you’re going through troubled times.  It happened again just recently when I was struggling, although not telling others what was truly going on.  Honestly, after they’ve heard so much, they really don’t want to hear more.  They just think, “Oh poor unfortunate soul …” and move on being glad that it isn’t them going through it.

I get it.  No one wants to listen to “that” person going through trials and tribulations.  So, “that” person then withdraws within and does not speak of anything troubling them at all.  That can be good and bad.  It’s good because they focus on the only One that can do anything about what is troubling them; God.  And it is bad because when they truly need someone to be there for them, no one can be found.  This leaves the person who is already going through so much feeling isolated and alone; the very last thing they need at that moment in time.

Pictures plastered across Social Media tell quite a tale, don’t they?  And you’re left to wonder if this troubled soul is indeed troubled.  Or “living it up.”  No one knows but God.  Pictures can make it look all kinds of different ways.  Where is the truth?  It lies behind those eyes.

Rumors fly, and you just have to laugh because everyone thinks they “know.”  Others ask all around for answers to their inquiring minds.  Why would the answer matter?  Just nosey people being busy bodies wanting to spread your business around when they should really be dealing with matters in their own life, leaving you alone.

Ah, but that is the nature of the beast.  And curiosity killed the cat, don’t you know?

How about this?  We pray for one another.  Whether we know for “certain” what is going on, or whether we “think” we do, why not just bow our heads before our Heavenly Father and ask Him to bless them?

Why can’t we fall upon our knees asking God to help them, if we get one inkling that they might not be doing as well as they put on?

Or, keep that person in our thoughts, wishing them well along their path in life?

But to ask just for the guilty pleasure of “knowing” whether they’re truly struggling or happy in life … that is just the height of being human.  Every one wants to know someone else’s business when they should be tending to their own.

If, by chance, a rare soul offers assistance, the pride wells up and won’t allow it.  Why turn down someone willing to help?  For fear that at some point “repayment” will be expected or resentment will build on behalf of the giver.  And then they will think that the one they once gifted has taken advantage.  When that is far from the truth of the matter.

Assumptions – what do they do?  WE ALL KNOW … they make an A$$ out of you and me.

Yet, we assume we know so much.

And we hurt our own feelings with our thoughts that may not be based on truth.

How about take each day as it comes.  That is what I’ve been taught to do by life, itself.  There is no guarantee from one minute to the next on how things will go.  Sure, we want things normal and simple, but my life has been anything BUT that these past few years.

No one wants to hear about yet another procedure … or another test … or another anything.

And so you keep quiet and to yourself.

Others wag their tongues about you and think they KNOW …

And you leave them to their thoughts and gossip.

No more than we can bear.

I have been thinking about this quite a bit after seeing the movie Bohemian Rhapsody. For those of you that may not know about this movie, it is a loose biographical story of Freddie Mercury and the band Queen through their performance at the Live Aid concert in 1985 and to the untimely death of Freddie due to Aids. If you have never heard of Queen, I can guarantee you have heard at least one of their songs.

The part that stood out for me was the Live Aid concert sequence. I admit that I had never seen it before though I have been a fan of Queen from their early days. Queen was not in the original line-up of bands scheduled to play. When they were added to the show, tickets had already sold out. The crowd was there for groups like U2, David Bowie, Dire Straits and so on; not for Queen. I was so taken in with this part of the movie that I have watched the real performance on YouTube several times.

This is where you see the magic of music. During their performance the crowd of 80,000 at Wembley Stadium comes together and sings along to several of Queen’s songs. Music touches that hearts of all of us; even though some of us may not admit it. This was a perfect example of that. All those things that divide us in life were gone. There was only the music. Music unifying the diversity of the crowd.

Music can be a great healer to us when our hearts are troubled. Music can help to ease those times in our lives when things seem impossible to handle. Yet, using music like this is not something we think about and we should.

In the coming weeks and months, I will be relying on music more to help get through some very difficult times. I don’t have anyone that I can call anytime to help talk me through things any more. I will be relying on music to get me through. Just as it can for you too. When you are feeling down and lost; listen to some of your favorite songs that have brought joy into your heart.

As it is New Year’s Eve, that time we say good-bye to the current year and welcome in the new year. It can be a time of reflection of things happening not only in the past year, but in years long past.

For some, it is a time for making resolutions. Those things we wish to make happen in our lives in the coming year. I have heard that people will resolve to do the diet they have been thinking about or save up for that special item they have always wanted. I have never really considered making resolutions because for me I have always felt I would have no ability to stick to them.

However, sitting here this evening and thinking about all that has and is happening in my life, I have found one thing that I resolve to do this coming year. I think a little background would be helpful before I disclose my “New Year’s Resolution.” I am the kind of person that gives of themselves for others. It is something that brings me joy and happiness. It is done with no expectation of anything in return except for a thank you. That is truly all that I need.

At times, I give of myself to the point of placing myself in rather precarious situations. It is always of my choice to do this and I have never regretted it. However, of late, I have been questioning myself as to whether I should be much more cautious in stepping up to offer help to others. I have run into certain situations where it feels that my generosity and caring for others is being taken advantage of. I could be wrong as I can only see one side of this, my side; but that doesn’t help to push that feeling away.

So, in 2019, I resolve to think before offering my help. As I write that, it sounds like of selfish. But we really need to take care of ourselves as well as taking care of others. I will still do what I have done over the years; just not as much anymore. I need to do a lot of things for myself that have been pushed to the wayside because of how much I help others.

As you go into this new year, I wish you love, health and happiness.

Happy New Year.