Stepping out of your comfort zone

 

'When I go someplace and the people don’t receive and accept me, I don’t let it get me down, I just shake it off and go about my business.'  Luke 10:10 - 11

Today I stepped out of my comfort zone and went to greet an old acquaintance.

I walked up to the group of ladies standing talking on the other side of the park, and greeted my old friend/acquaintance.  She nodded her head and went right back to her discussion with her two friends…  So I stayed there just a little way off, and waited for them to finish their conversation.  After about a minute I decided that I should possibly just move away and act like I was just admiring the tree next to them for a while…

Do u think that was just a little rude? 

So I went home thinking about the situation.

If someone came up to me and said “hello” that knew me a couple of years ago, I would hope that I would finish the conversation that I was busy with, and then just give a few moments to her. Yesterday that is exactly what I did in another situation with an old acquaintance, and then we ended up having a long conversation about both our lives, and then went our separate ways.  Am I just old fashioned or is that the way that you would do it too?  I mean obviously if you are busy in a meeting, you would greet the person and tell them you are in a meeting…   

Maybe we do not need to be exiled to Robben Island to live isolated lives.  Maybe deep within we are so isolated already, that we do not realise that we are acting that way on the outside.  When did being polite become extinct?  Or was today’s brush off not rude at all.  Was it a person that has been hurt so much that she does not want to let anyone in again? 

Maybe we do not need a big door to cut us off from reality like at Robben Island, because we create doors deep within our hearts to cut us off from being hurt.  ‘If I let you into my life, then there is a chance that you may hurt me.’

The prisoners wrote their stories on the walls, cupboard doors and even the plants, possibly as a way to help them deal with their situations.  Our generation prefer to talk about our situations on Facebook and Blogs, it is easier than talking to people about it.  Even though everyone will know your situation, at least you don’t have to see their face when they read about it.  It helps to keep the emotions out of the situation.

I guess the whole situation got me thinking.  I know I am just like the other people in the world that do not want to get hurt, and who thinks that sometimes connecting on the World Wide Web is much easier than connecting in this world, but maybe we should be more like the plants in the prison; they push through the toughest terrain to find a little bit of sunlight and water.  And yes, someone can step on them or pull them out where they start growing, but at least they gave life a shot.  This plant was pushing its way through the cement in one of the courtyards of the prison.  

'I am rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined.'  1 Peter 5:9

A friend of mine added some of her own thoughts on my experience.

'Perhaps the lady didn’t even remember who you were… just saying… and sure the brush off was rude, but perhaps she is a shallow kind of person…'

'Keeping your emotions out of a situation, helps you keep control (and you won’t get hurt) especially if you can’t manage conflict and don’t know much about conflict resolution.'

'I am SO with you about giving life a shot!!! If you love you may get hurt, but you will have known what it is to love and be loved BUT if you never love, you have nothing!'

Anonymous 

So when you go someplace and the people don’t receive and accept you, don’t let it get you down, just shake it off and go about your business.  

Maybe you want to add some thoughts of your own.  You can always stay anonymous...