John Mark McMillan | 5 months ago
What do you do when “It” doesn’t work anymore?
Anger taught me to stand up for myself. Ambition taught me to thrive. Loyalty to an ideology brought me community. My work ethic built a home for my family… but has that same work ethic now begun too steal my time and attention from them? Has my ideology now driven a wedge between me and my friends? Has my “righteous” anger transformed me into a villain? (Remember history’s greatest evils all considered themselves to be righteous).
It’s a hard lesson to learn, but what got you “here” won’t always get you “there”. There’re things that you ABSOLUTELY need in one phase of life that sometimes become un-useful, or even a liability, to your present and future.
When your internal narrative doesn’t line up with actuality, you’re faced with a limited number of options. You can either double down, stick to the script, and become a sort of “Uncle Rico”; a caricature of your former self. Or you can go to the cross. You can Marie Kondo the baggage that wont fit into the overhead compartment of your life.
Thank them. Love them. Show them some respect. After all, they deserve it.
But then, with a little sorrow in your heart, lead them into the Purple Rain. You can move on. That old story doesn’t have to be “you”.
To be clear, I think it’s important to say that I’m not proposing you walk away from responsibility or anything just because it seems difficult. I’m not advocating for the perpetuation of adult adolescence. Quite the opposite. As your instagram friend and part-time soundtrack I want to give you permission, for whatever its worth, to reimagine yourself. Be resurrected into the person God has made you to be in THIS day.
I hope I don’t sound trite. It’s just the story of my own life and I feel like some of my pain would be wasted if I didn’t at least try to repurpose it for the benefit of you all.
Love you guys.
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