Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Starting Over

Yesterday I went for a run. This was the first run I have been on in quite some time. As soon as I hit play on my iPod (I was listening to the Beastie Boys classic Ill Communications, if you're interested) and took my first few slightly accelerated steps, the effects of my long break were evident. The first ailment I noticed was the pain in my right knee. Then came the soreness in the upper part of my left shin. This began a pattern of migrating pains, discomforts and cramps that moved throughout my body as my time on the road progressed. When I run regularly and take a brief time off, these pains are not unexpected, but they usually subside as I get comfortable and find my stride. This was certainly not the case yesterday, when my stride looked as awkward as Bambi's first steps. Things didn't get any easier as my body attempted to find every way that it could to rebel. By mile three or four, I began to feel a tell tale, deep cramping in my stomach. This is a pain that I have grown to recognize very readily from the times I have been irresponsible in keeping my hands clean and brought home a sickness from Mexico

Being out for a run and feeling like I literally might crap my pants is not a new circumstance. I think pretty much anyone that runs regularly has had this experience. There's something unique about running that I think just tends to jostle things around and sort of work the contents of your intestines downward. When this happens, you have a decision to make. This quandary is often partially predicated upon the amount of pressure you're experiencing. When the pressure is minimal but the need is urgent, you can open up your stride and get home as quickly as possible. When you've got the Mexico feeling going on, it's best to focus on maintaining control over the situation while getting home in a responsible but timely fashion. If you misjudge urgency or need or simply just find things are beyond your control you may have to take quick action and end up in the woods on the side of the road or bang on some unsuspecting condo owner's door. Although it's not the most family friendly phrase, I would articulate this event as "losing your $#!^."

Most of my focus for the latter part of my run was reserved for two things: Suppressing the attention I gave to all the aches and pains I was feeling and retaining the contents of my colon. Despite this commitment of my mental faculties, I did have a little left over to reflect over how much this particular run resembled starting anew in other areas of life.

Over the past fifteen months, I've had a lot of new starts. There have been a new internship, new jobs, new relationship, and constantly changing circumstances. Right now, I am about to make a huge transition I have yet to share here. I have learned that their are three main ways the people typically deal with massive life changes:

1. Lose it.
2. Throw caution to the wind, don't think too much and go full speed ahead (Sprint home).
3. Move forward thoughtfully and cautiously (Focus and get home in as long as it takes).


Many of my closest friends both here and back on the east coast have been going through major life changes as well. I have seen myself and others employ all three of these mechanisms in coping with big life change. Sometimes things get overwhelming and you just lose it. It's happened to me a few times lately. This can be a jarring, disorienting experience. Generally, when this happens, your problem becomes someone else's (that poor condo owner) and you sometimes have a mess to clean up. Human emotions and breakdowns can be pretty crazy things and the fallout is often dramatic. Every now and then you lose it. It's a fact of life, it's beyond your control. If you're lucky though, you've got some people you can count on and you can trust them to not spread the word that it happened.

When I moved out here, I threw caution to the wind. This was easy because everything seemed to fall into place. It seemed obvious that this was where I was being called. Nearly everyone in my life echoed and supported this conclusion. When I had to fundraise for my internship, the money I needed came quickly from many generous people (thanks so much!). I got out here and made a ton of great friends. A full time position opened up and it seemed meant for me. I met an awesome young lady. Work went well. Everything seemed ordained and inspired. I didn't think too much. I didn't have to. I opened things up, moved forward and asked for God's blessing. I found myself at home and comfortable.

Now I'm looking at a daunting new life change and challenge. Although I am certain that I have made the right decision in choosing to take on this challenge, I am intimidated and, at times, feel as if I am going to lose it. It seems that there is a lot of pressure (mostly self-applied) and a high penalty for failure. On the flipside, there is a lot of potential for some incredible things to happen with this new opportunity. As a result, I'm tempted to sprint all out into it, throw caution to the wind, commit myself to a direction and hope and pray for the best. Instead, I'm taking the third approach this time around. I'm thinking a lot and I'm considering plans and systems I need to design and implement in order to assure that I don't lose it. Thinking about all that I have to do and want to control, there is something else I have to realize as well. Just like my running example above, I'm involved in a lot of things I can't control. No matter which strategy I utilize, if my body decides something needs to happen, it's going to happen. Similarly, I will find myself at the mercy of a lot of outside stimuli and circumstances as I forge ahead into this new challenge.

I believe that the secret to future success will be preparation and utilizing every resource I have at my disposal while still finding a way to relinquish control. This release will manifest itself in trusting others to guide me and help me in my areas of weakness. Additionally, it will help to understand that no matter how well I believe I am handling things, sometimes small failures and losses are inevitable. Finally, this relinquishment will help me stay humble in the face of both failure and success. Knowing that I am a very small part of everything that is going on and that God is truly the one in control is critical. It will help me to not put too much stock in my successes or my failures. Because neither of them are really mine. The truth is that I'm taking on something that I can't do. That's alright though, because I like stepping out in faith and I'm kind of fond of the following quote:

"I want only to do the things I can’t do unless God does it."
-Ben Patterson
 
Now, I just need to do my part to try to keep my $#!^ together while He does the work.
 

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