For 2020, I had prayed that I would be a fountain and not a drain. That I’d be able to be a source of life, joy, and kindness to those around me. Little did I know how that prayer would be tried and tested in the hardest of years.
I gave as best as I could until I ran empty or tired or numb. Then you gave to me…and now I understand fountains are only as useful as the water that’s being poured in.
I went back to visit the folks last night. Check in on them, grab some of mom’s good ol’ home-cooking. Lord knows we could all use some family bonding right now. But, at this moment, even family could be a source of tension.
Somewhere in the middle of our meal, there was a lull in the conversation. Pause. At this point, I just had to ask. “Dad…what do you think of the protests?”
This was hard.
Some days I feel OK, some days I don’t.
Some days I’ll get out of bed, some days I won’t.
Some days I feel trapped—inside my mind, inside this house, inside this world.
Some days I spend my time wondering if I’ve missed my prime or if it’s still to come.
Some days I’m left with too much time.
Some days I’m left with too much regret.
This year has been wild.
It’s barely been three months, and already we’ve seen a continent burning down, mourned the death of heroes, and endured a global viral outbreak. Events are being canceled all around the world: vacations, conferences, sports, worship services, amusement parks.
If you’re feeling that defeated “Should we just cancel 2020 entirely?” feeling, you’re not alone. I’m not above some of those emotions myself. Every morning is a prayer that the bottom won’t keep dropping. Every hour there’s a natural bracing for what's next?
There’s a hard truth that I can’t seem to get around, no matter how I splice it. It’s this: you cannot fulfill your greatest potential if you stay inside your comfort zone.
It’s hard to accept because everything in my nature seeks comfort. I don’t know about you, but nothing inside of me screams let’s just go around the bend when the path is straight. For most of us, security is in our wiring, it’s our default auto-pilot.
Lately, I've been mulling over this topic of greatness. I've studied a few influential leaders of our time. I can't honestly say I know exactly what makes people great…it’s some combination of talent, grit, hard work, and chance. But I do know that in every case it involves going beyond the boundaries of comfort.
