We run away from pain and discomfort. It’s a natural tendency of self-preservation. Though it is said that it’s best to let it run its natural course. I do that when I’m sick. No medication. Mainly to be able to listen to what my body is trying to tell me. I am also talking about emotional pain. When we are so focused on silencing it, manage it, run away from it, we spend so much energy and miss out on some great work.
I just had the best day since our move, last Saturday. We mustered up the mental energy to go clean another house as an act of community service. My neighbor and I kept returning to our bottom line: if nobody else shows up, between me an her, we’ll follow through with our plan. It was our Saturday morning after all. A cold snowy April day. 7 of us showed up, with bags under our eyes, shivering. We got to it fast. And we had fun once we started. Dusted, beat-up rugs draped over a steel rod, cleaned the bathroom, moped the floors, fixed some doors etc. Then we decided to take the girls home for an impromptu spa day.
Conrad made us pretzels and he watched Interstellar with the guys downstairs in our apartments while the girls had the best time ever upstairs. Time stood still. We got pampered, talked, rested and looked out the window in silence. We had the best view. Then we shared another meal with the boys, then went for a walk up the hill. That was glorious as well. Then we visited our neighbors and they shared some more delicious food with us and we talked passionately about church and where we are heading to.
I have said this before, but the level of joy one feels is often directly proportional with the level of discomfort embraced.
That Saturday was a gift of grace, friendship, nature, laughter and passionate conversations.
Things are moving forward. We witness change and we remain humble to the transformations. It is freeing.
(If you are wondering what’s with the featured beer shot, last week we also went rock-climbing behind the Ursus beer factory. At the end I felt like having a beer, and while the girls had juice, I reminisced about time with family in California, where I started to like the taste of beer. Mom and dad, we’ll take you there in May!)