The Other Shoe Must Fall
Walking. Nothing profound or insightful, just the act of getting from point A to point B on foot. Except, in this process there is an inevitable pattern marching on. Up, down, clip, clop….. “The OTHER shoe must fall.” (If my blog had a soundtrack I would insert a horrific scream here.)
Yes, if you are going to move toward something, a foot must rise and a foot must come down. This is good, so why did someone in the annals of time connect this positive progression with good versus bad and the implication that for every blessing there is a curse, for every ray of sunshine there is a shadow lurking? Furthermore, why is it stuck in my head so that my natural instinct is to compromise joy with awareness that “The OTHER shoe” is soon coming down hard, so don’t get too excited…..or grateful?
This is a learned behavior. Children to not react to good things with caution. Youthful elation is full throttle and long lasting. A child enjoys anticipation, celebration and a conclusion of “I can’t wait until we do this again!” Oh to never leave the wonder years. Sadly, at varying ages maturity takes on survival tactics that protect the heart and mind from disappointment, failure and defeat, those moments when the OTHER shoe falls. The deeply callused heart receives a special title, cynic. No child ever dreams of growing up to be cynical, they learn it.
When I was young and struggling so badly with depression and mental balance I would search God’s word for inspiration and motivation to persevere through what I perceived to be an unrealistically difficult circumstance of heart and mind. I worried that this world was not my home and I should focus on Heaven rather than the little plot of earth I pay property taxes on. Then one day I realized…..my eternity began the day I gave my heart to Jesus. I didn’t have to wait on death, the OTHER shoe, to achieve my spiritual aspirations. Anything I wanted in death was available to me, “On earth as it is in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) I began living instead of dying.
Walking is as important as breathing. I think of how excited I was on the day Thing 1 took her first steps, and years later when Thing 2 accomplished the same milestone. Even more years later the OTHER shoe came down, and those little toddling steps turned into the strides of beautiful, ambitious young women walking out my door to chase their dreams. Yes, I cried, but it was forward motion and It was good.
Standing still allows us to hear God’s voice, moving forward is our act of faith. Knowing the OTHER shoe will fall is recognizing life happens, but when God is in control, it is good.
Put your face toward the Sonshine, step into the light and walk today in your eternity. The other shoe falling is okay, it’s the only way to arrive where you dream of going.
Blessings,
Gretchen