Writing comes in spurts for me.  Sometimes I’ve got a message to share and it just clicks, and then sometimes even coming up with a cogent paragraph is a struggle.  Today, I’m really leaning toward the latter.  But there’s something definitely stirring and I only hope I can do it the justice it deserves.

I chose a few years ago to avoid as much daily news coverage as I could.  Some will say I’m avoiding, others will accuse me of being irresponsible, and all will probably call me a little crazy.  I can’t say I disagree with any of these assessments.

Three news stories made it through to me this week before I could get my walls built back up.  One story came through an email at work – one of our employees had experienced what I would personally fear the most.  In a national news story, you’ll hear of two girls, cousins, in Iowa, have gone missing.  I saw another article that the FBI strongly believes the girls are still alive right now.  I personally ask all of you to remember those two girls and their families as you say your personal prayers.

Then, I’m sure all of you have seen the endless coverage on the horrors that occurred at the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado a few days ago.  There are too many parallels to these types of things we’ve seen over the years.  Again, prayers to all affected…from the wounded to the families left behind to grieve the loss of a loved one.

It is no wonder why I build a wall between my soul and the news.  It can drain life from you in an instant…if you allow it.

Many of you know I’ve taken up running the past couple of months – my own “Custer’s last stand” between a health hurdle I set for myself earlier this year.  I’ve finally made it to the point where I can run fairly continuously for a half hour…but it started with measuring runs in seconds rather than minutes.  It’s been a long grind but it’s finally working for me, and, while I will NEVER say I love running, I do like what I’m seeing in terms of rewards.  Anyway, the other day while I was nearing the end of my run, “Times Like These” by the Foo Fighters came on and really made the next few minutes of running quite easy.

I thought about all these events going on, knowing that all of us have even more pressing personal news that eats at us daily.  It’s times like these that we do truly learn to live again.  Whether in terms of family, friends, or just the world buzzing by, these daily trials are what teach us to live again.  We learn where to focus our love.  We learn how to give and give – without the expectation of anything in return.  Most of all, we learn what it means to grab life while it stands before us.

In his famous “Farewell to Arms” Earnest Hemingway wrote, “The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places.”  For me personally, I know this to be true.  I was broken in ways I never saw coming and the aftermath seemed messier than I’d grown to expect.  But I also learned to live again.  And those broken places…they’re stronger now as well.

I know when my fears rise about something, that there’s no real reason to run and hide – it’s life presenting an opportunity to grow.  That is true healing in the broken places.

The Texas Rangers baseball coach, Ron Washington, is routinely quoted for some of his funny quips about baseball.  We’ve all heard “that’s how baseball go” in the past couple of years.  But there’s one quote he made that I find distinct applicability to life in general.  He said, “If you treat the game with respect, the game will respect you.”  Those that follow baseball know that the Rangers are the furthest thing from a boring team.  They pitch, they hit, they play defense, and they’re aggressive on the bases – stealing bases when they can and risking outs in order to score runs.  So when he says “treat the game with respect”, he doesn’t mean to do so by just going with the flow.  He really emphasizes that EVERY player come ready to play ALL aspects of the game, EVERY game – and to do so within the rules of the game.

It’s a great metaphor for life.  You’ll get out of it what you give to it.  If you go with the flow forever, then the flow is about the best you’ll ever get back.  But if you approach EVERY day with renewed focus on just what needs to get done for that day, and play the game of life with respect, then life will undoubtedly give you that respect back.

For those that were counting, there was a third news story that I haven’t yet mentioned.  John Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, was covered on the NBC Nightly News for a film project she’s been working on for years.  She had a dream of seeing everyone in the world smile…thinking that if we’d all just smile, the world would be a better place to live.  I’ve gotta side with Yoko on this one…let’s all consciously smile a little more.  And if you’re interested, there’s more information about the film project on the NBC website.  Yoko has also created a website for folks to upload a picture of a smile…get yourself in this great movement by visiting smilesfilm.com.

Remember, it’s times like these we learn to live again.  It’s times like these we give and give again.  It’s times like these we learn to love again.  And it’s times like these…time and time again.

Every day is a new day to live, give, and love again.  Treat it with respect and you’ll get it back…more than you’ve ever imagined.

 

Be blessed,

Tim

 

Times Like These – Foo Fighters

 

I am a one way motorway

I’m the one that drives away then follows you back home

I am a street light shining

I’m a wild light blinding bright burning off alone

 

It’s times like these you learn to live again

It’s times like these you give and give again

It’s times like these you learn to love again

It’s times like these, time and time again

 

I am a new day rising

I’m a brand new sky to hang the stars upon tonight

I am a little divided

Do I stay or run away and leave it all behind?

 

It’s times like these you learn to live again

It’s times like these you give and give again

It’s times like these you learn to love again

It’s times like these, time and time again