The Thin Line

From the time we take our first steps until we take our last step, we learn that as we take each of those steps, we do it to please others as well as ourselves. Those first few steps are toward waiting arms and we have learned that if and when we reach those outstretched arms there will be smiles and praise. We also know that if we fall flat on our bottom we must quickly pick ourselves up and keep heading for those outstretched arms to get those needed smiles and praise! Those first few steps teach us this important life’s lesson; we learned that all we had to do was please others to cause them to point their praise and smiles in our direction. And, those praises and smiles were worth it!
With each additional step we had learned just what it took to keep those people smiling! Wasn’t that our true goal? Keep um smiling! It wasn’t always our choice but it was what they expected of us. Also, we found it easier than going against their wishes. We had learned to go with the flow!
As our lives progressed we had to learn life’s lesson number two; we learned that things that put smiles on some faces brought scolding from others! We had to walk a finer line than we first thought! We had to learn things we could or could not say in front of others. We had to learn that there was a time to talk and a time to listen! We also found that there was different ways to talk to different people!
What we were learning was our fine line was viewed differently by different people! We had to set different guides for each person in our lives! Thinking back today; weren’t we trying to change our lives, the one God gave us, to try to please each new person in our lives? Weren’t we trying to please the world just to get that smile or pat on the back? Were we getting to the point that even we had no idea of who we really were?
Can we let our one life be changed into the many different lives others expect us to be? Doesn’t our own likes and dislikes fit someplace in here? I’ve heard people talk about the “real you.” Does anyone know their “real you” in today’s world? After we have played so many different parts trying to please others it’s hard to find any ourselves left!
The fine line that others expect us to be walking today has so many twists and turns that we could easily find ourselves running in circles! Our God gave each of us a conscience and each is different. Things that some find acceptable others find unacceptable. The same is true of different religions, sometimes in the same religions. Many wars are fought and many are killed using God’s name to justify those wars.
I look upon my God as a friendly loving God. I have never felt that I have to walk as fine a line around Him as I do around some of the people around me. My God forgives me when I mess-up. That’s more than I can say for some of those around me!
If you draw your expected line to narrow for me, you’ll find me stepping over it! I expect some elbow room! After all, I was born a Bob and I intend to stay that Bob! It’s only possible to change a small part of me. I expect to take every step of my life as a learning experience and I intend to take each of those steps “my way!”