Whole in one

Sometimes we experience something for the first time when we aren’t really expecting to.

Back when I lived in Tennessee, I was working overnight at the house of a friend who lived WAY out in the country. He had one of those eco dome houses which was pretty interesting. He also had a huge telescope. When I say ‘huge,’ I mean it was almost 10 feet long, sitting on a 500 pound metal base. Around 11pm on this particular night, my co-worker and I decided to take the monster out in the yard to look up at the skies. It was not an easy task, but we were motivated. We moved it in sections, then reassembled it in the open yard. It was a clear night, so we had a perfect view of the moon. I looked up at the craters and grey-colored surface. It was quite clear, and the telescope’s incredible power made it fill the eyepiece. Then I swung around and began to focus in on what we deduced to be Saturn. I finally located it, but the earth’s rotation would make it literally go zooming across the viewer. Yeah, it was that far away. The awesome thing was…I could see the rings around the planet! I wasn’t necessarily surprised, but I was truly in awe. I had seen pictures, but seeing it for yourself in real life. Wow. There really IS a planet Saturn with rings!

There was something powerful about verifying the existence of something I had been told and believed all my life, yet never seen firsthand. I didn’t really have any reason to doubt it was there, so I really didn’t have any urgent reason to confirm its existence – yet there it was…red and all.

I remember my first touchdown as a running back. Sure, all football plays are designed to score, but few of them do. One day we were running a simple play in which I was the intended ball-carrier. We ran the play (without a defense I might add) and guess what? I scored! Wow! I hooped and hollered and jumped up and down. I was so happy just to have scored! I turned around and saw pretty much the entire team just staring at me like I was an overzealous oddball. I didn’t care! I scored…and because it was my first touchdown, I was living in the moment and celebrating life. Even though there was virtually no one trying to stop me.
How awesome to experience something r-e-a-l for yourself! Being told about things, seeing others experience them and going through all that yourself is quite a difference. However – I must say that this truth also applies to hard times. Divorce, financial ruin, joblessness, etc etc. It’s one thing to see others’ pain, but when it turns on you, you have to endure the agony. What was abstract suddenly becomes very real.

Nobody knows how things affect other people and how they will respond. When I went through my divorce, all my family and friends’ counseling and good intentions didn’t come close to the 20 minute conversation I had with another person also going through a divorce. There’s something about finding people who not only sympathize, but, more importantly, empathize.

Keep this in mind when you are doing okay and encounter someone else who might be struggling with something you had to deal with too. You don’t have to be a great psychologist or counselor to make a difference. Sometimes, people just want to talk to someone who ‘really’ understands their situation.

Some great news: There is someone you can talk to whenever you need to or want to; someone who has a great ear to hear your circumstances. And the even better part? There can be peace without medication or meditation. Simply ask for it and you’ll be amazed how quickly it comes and how comforting it really is! There is no judgement or guilt trips, no one-up’s with other problems, just a loving warm heart and someone who truly loves you and cares about your rotten days. I am always amazed when doctors come out of the emergency operation and say “all we can do is pray” WHAT? Praying is the best option ANYWAY! Why is it left for the hopeless situations when we have access to the best counselor/healer that ever lived?

“Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything.
With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God.”
Philippians 4:6

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
Matthew 6:27