Resigned to life

I want to tell you about a journey that started a couple of years ago and landed me where I am today, still journeying on, and absolutely loving my dance with life, even though there are times when I am stumbling over my own two feet and struggling to make sense of the rhythm of the music.

I managed to tick off one (or more?) of my bosses. What's new? Being me; nothing. I am out-spoken and opinionated and the combo doesn't always go down well. I endured a couple of months of persecution and decided to quit. About time!
Only one tiny little problem. I had no alternative income. Being a self-sufficient woman, this was a problem. Logical next step. Find an employer. I did. Right there in the mirror.
I am a reasonably intelligent creature with more than a fair amount of self-confidence. Why not? Thus began my journey into self-employment. Not quite.
First things first. Take a break. Believe me if I tell you that after you have gone through the sort of ordeal that I have gone through, it is time and money well spent. And much cheaper than a psychologist. Besides, who wants to lie on a couch when there is a whole world out there in need of exploring?
So I packed my bags and I headed down to the coast. The coast was the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast of South Africa.

Heading down to the coast, we (the folks and I) encountered some heavy snowfalls. Now, you need to understand that snowfalls are a rarity in sunny South Africa. So we were not in the least put out by this. As a matter of fact, we found it fascinating and thrilling. That is until they closed the pass we were travelling on and we had to turn around to find an alternative route, turning the 8 hour journey into a 12 hour one.

There was a lesson in this. Sometimes we are headed in a direction and we are certain of our destination, but then life gives a cold shoulder. Instead of giving up, we should carry on. Keep going. Find an alternative route, another way of doing things. But never lie down in the snow. Don't get locked out in the cold. There is always the possibility of a fresh start. Sure, there might be a delay. Of course it might upset your plans. But don't let it upset your whole life. Carry on. Reach your destination.

The next morning saw me awakening to a spectacular sunrise over the ocean. I did not even have to rise from my bed to take in the wonder of this. Pure bliss.

After the unexpectedly cold weather inland, the sea turned stormy. I was walking along the beach, snapping pictures of the tumultuous waves crashing onto the rocks and the huge dead trees that lay scattered along the shore, when it occurred to me that there was some symbolism in this as well. Sometimes we become so huge in our own eyes that we believe ourselves to be immovable. We will stand our ground, regardless of the changes around us. We shall not be moved. We stand so firmly in the belief that we are right, that we fail to realize that new wisdom and knowledge had been brought to our worlds and that we need to move on with the times.
It takes mighty waves to uproot those tightly held beliefs of ours, but uprooted they must be. And so I realized that the storms of life can be cleansing. It can take that magnificent lump of a tree and toss it aside to make space for new life. We merely need to make sure that only the dead trees are uprooted and discarded. Do not hold on to those. Let them go. But tend the young ones. Don't allow the whole forest be destroyed. And don't ever become so narrow-minded that your whole life can be summed up in one dead tree!

I was reminded of the tale of the footprints in the sand. Perhaps our lives can be compared to a walk along the beach. In that case I wish to add my 2 cents worth of advice:Mind the storms;Do not crawl into a hole - the waves will find you there;Enjoy the moments of tranquility and use them to tend to yourself;Stop to smell the flowers.
Being down and out simply means you have an opportunity to get up and get back in. Find another door, or knock a wall down. But get back in.

God never promised any of us a life without hardships. Instead, He promised to be with us in everything life throws at us. He will not forsake us. He will not leave us alone, or push us aside. It is now almost five years since I started out on this new phase and it has been tough in every way possible. It has challenged my relationships, shaken my securities, tested my knowledge and tried my skills. There has been moments of exultation and moments where I have been so down in the dumps that I did not know how to rise to the top again. But in every single moment, I knew God was there. Knew it. I may not have felt it, but I knew it. I have been walking with God for many years now and I have learned to trust Him more than my emotional experience of Him. Looking back, I can see Him there. While I was in the moment, I was too close to Him to get a good look. Trust God. He will not disappoint.

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy the books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
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