Endure - or - Embrace

Endure or Embrace

We are staying at home.  We are “sheltering in place”.  For some of us, that means we are with our spouses or children or roommates or some other configuration.

I have seen or heard of many couples that are fighting - maybe with two old adages “Familiarity breeds contempt” or “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”.  

Too much time together can become coarse sandpaper on each other’s space and being.  For many of us, one (or both) of the spouses left the house most mornings and went to work.  Even on weekends, we can do fun things together - go out to eat, go to a movie, a play, a concert, meet up with friends, go to a beach or park - but that can’t happen now.  

It is like saying to your spouse, or your roommate - “Get out for a while - I need my time and my space”.  Many couples do have this - person A has their hobby and person B has their hobby.  Person A may go to a sewing or craft room, and person B may go to a woodworking area/shop, or out into the yard for some trimming.  Hobbies and separation are good - and, in fact, at this time, they may be invaluable!!!

I know of a couple that are just waiting for the virus thing to pass so they can get divorced.  But, separating at this time is almost impossible - it may be that one or both are not working, so the finances of moving out just can’t work out.  Two people separated cannot live like two people in the same household.  

About a week ago, I read an article that says we have a choice:  Endure - or - Embrace.

We ALWAYS have choices.  We do get to choose to be happy or sad; we get to choose to be positive or negative.  

To ‘endure’ implies putting up with a bad situation, to hold unhappiness deep in our hearts.  To ‘embrace’ implies adjusting our brains to say, “I love this”.

I have not been in jail - but let’s think of being sentenced to life in prison.  We can choose ‘endure’ - knowing that we will die in prison, or we can embrace our situation - and find ways to be happy.  Maybe we can read, or maybe write.  Maybe we can draw or do some sort of craft.  (I am assuming that I can’t do wood carving in prison!!!) 

Can we wake in the morning and say, “THANK YOU GOD FOR THIS NEW DAY”!!!!  Yes, we can, but it means we have to EMBRACE our situation.  Can a prisoner with a life sentence find ways to EMBRACE life?  Can a couple stuck in quarantine find ways to EMBRACE each other?  They can if they CHOOSE to embrace!!  

Two scriptures:  “In everything give thanks”1 Thessalonians 5:18; “ for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” (Philippians 4:11) 

I’m choosing to EMBRACE today - that means I LOVE all of you who read this, that means I LOVE all who don’t read this!!!

More tomorrow!!!

Hugs - and Love!!!

Karen