Sometimes, life doesn’t exactly go as you plan. I’m sure every one of you can think of an example pretty quickly. Sometimes when life throws you a curve ball, you become angry or upset. Other times, you feel sad or depressed. And, sometimes, you are just plain scared.
In the heat of the moment, our emotions are always more intense, our reactions sharper, and our senses on high alert. In some situations, that’s the adrenaline. In others, I think it’s just being caught up in the excitement of the moment. How many movies have you watched or books have you read with the intense action scenes or the thrilling suspense scenes where the characters make split second decisions or find themselves in really sticky situations? There are plenty out there, I can assure you. I think, as readers, we enjoy the excitement in the stories partly because it gives us just a small taste of that excitement ourselves.
But have you ever stopped to think, What would I do in that situation? I mean, really stopped to think. I know I’ve asked the question many times, but usually I ask halfheartedly. It’s a passing thought, or, at most, a fun exercise to explore the great ‘What If’ question. This can apply to so many different situations. They don’t have to be some dramatic life or death scenario either. When you’re faced with a decision larger than what color shirt to wear today or what to eat for dinner tonight, how do you consider your options? How do you handle your emotions? What do you do when the goin’ gets rough, so to speak?
As a Christian, I’ve been told over and over again, I’m supposed to always trust God. Know that He is in control, that He is always with me. I haven’t just been told this and blindly accepted it, as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to truly and genuinely believe it. But believing something and experiencing it are two very different things.
What does that even mean, anyway? He is there. Does it give you a weird Big Brother, creepy feeling? It’s not supposed to. Does it sound surreal and far-fetched? Maybe to some. God’s far more than an overseeing government or an imaginary friend. When people say that God is by your side, I find comfort in that. It gives me strength and peace to know that I am not alone in my trials. I am not alone in my troubles. I am never left to live through the storms on my own.
Think back to the footprints in the sand story again. I’ve heard so many stories from others of situations they never should have made it out of, of decisions that should have ruined their lives, but that were somehow turned around in the end to give them more than they ever had to begin with. I’ve heard the stories from people I know personally, people close to me, acquaintances, family members, church members, famous people, etc. There is no specific category of people that have these stories and a category that don’t. Everyone faces storms. It’s just a part of life. But how many people come out of those storms unscathed and even blessed because of them? And how did they manage that?
Life has not gone as expected for me in the last two days. I spent the last two evenings shivering in the rain and hiking in unfamiliar territory–on two separate islands. The first hike wasn’t so bad. It was really pretty going up, and not a particularly difficult hike. We probably went about a mile up the Napali Coast on Kauai. It was foggy out, so we didn’t have the best view. It was one of those instances where life just didn’t quite seem to want to cooperate. But the view we did have was still absolutely breathtaking. The pictures would have been stunning in broad daylight, but even with the fog in the distance, the coast was indescribable. And the hike itself was so much fun! We were basically in a rain forest and having a great time with each other. Sadly, because we were running short on time, we had to turn back barely a mile into the hike. And, of course, as we were heading down, the fine mist we’d been experiencing turned into a torrential downpour. Thanks life.
Well, we made it down just fine and with no problems. We didn’t have a change of clothes, so we did shiver in the cold, wet outfits until we were able to fly back to Oahu and change. But no harm done and we still had a blast. No one ever died of sitting it wet jeans for a few hours or being patted down because the wet clothes screwed up TSA’s scanners. It just gave us a story to tell and laugh about.
The next day, we slept in a little, chilled out after our tiresome night and then headed out on the Kuliouou Ridge Trail on Oahu. This trail is a little over two miles up and two miles back. It goes up around 1800 feet and overlooks the Kuliouou Valley. The trail zig-zags a lot and boasts several narrow patches, a few large rocky spots, and some steep stretches. The view is supposed to be amazing. Unfortunately for us, it was super foggy, so we didn’t get any great overlooking views. We could see the path in front of us, but we couldn’t see the valley or the ridges around us at all. Sadness. Thanks life. Again.
Now, I’m not a quitter. It just isn’t in me. So, when we got “almost” to the top and I look at my watch to see that it’s an hour before sunset…I did get a little antsy. I’d seen the trail coming up and I wasn’t keen on the idea of traveling the last bit back in the dark. However, we pushed on and I did make it to the top. Couldn’t see squat around us for the fog, but I made it! Then, we began our decent just as the sun was supposed to set.
We had just enough light to get down about 300 of the 400 stairs that lead to the very top of the trail before it got so dark we couldn’t really see each other. Thankfully, I brought my phone and it was fully charged, so we used its flashlight to guide the three of us on our path. I took the stairs down barefooted because my shoes had no traction whatsoever and, again, it had been raining for most of the hike. My siblings and I went down this trail for the better part of three hours. Not with pretty lights to lead our way or a safe, easy trail to follow. We were in the dark, hours after sunset, praying we wouldn’t take a wrong turn or slide down the cliff side in the mud. It was an experience like none other.
But why do I tell the story? Well, because in reflection, I’m really thankful that we all made it home safely, first of all. Secondly, part of me wonders if our experience on the Napali Coast was meant to prepare us somehow. And lastly, I tell it because I know deep down, the only reason we made it out with as few bruises as we did is because God was walking with us. Every step of the way.
Does that sound far-fetched or absurd to you? Perhaps. But what would have kept you calm during the three hour decent down a very slippery, very narrow path with two of your younger siblings on your watch? What would have given you the strength to keep moving even when your muscles shook from overexertion? What do you cling to when you can’t see the way out?
As for me? I cling to the knowledge that my God will always see me through.
I may not understand why things don’t work out the way I want them to, but I have the power to control how I react in the face of life’s surprises. I can either grumble and complain, or I can find the silver lining in the experience. I can either cry and spend the night in the rain on a two foot ledge, or I can lead and encourage the others as we find our way down the mountain. I can choose to trust in God and believe that He wants what’s best for me. I can choose to call on Him when I’m scared, when I feel alone. I can choose to believe that He is always there, even in the dead of night.
Love always,
Coralie