Getting to Know You

We’d met “Jonas” and “Salina” at our Traumatic Brain Injury Support Group. Unlike me the severity of Jonas’s injury had come from scaffolding falling on his head, which had left him incapable of returning to his window washing job. As I expected, Bobbi and Salina had bonded almost immediately in their endeavor to deal with their “slightly altered” husbands (in the real world).

On Friday morning, October 14, 2016, I got to know Jonas at a much deeper level as I gave him a ride to and from an in-hospital procedure at the Grant Medical Center (GMC) in downtown Columbus. (I was off from Staples this day.) Salina had to be with her youngest son, “Irell,” at a dental procedure. My wife informed me if I couldn’t help, a costly ride from Uber was the only other logical option.

As we waited for Jonas to have the procedure at GMC, I persuasively gave his shy personality little choice but to communicate with me. I think praying for him helped to calm his nerves a bit.

Above the up and down buttons on the elevators leading to the floor Jonas’s appointment was at was a quote from the TV series, Greenleaf.

“When you have gone so far that you can’t go one more step, then you’ve gone just half the distance you’re capable of.” Have you (or someone you know) ever said this? “I am so done. I just can’t take anymore!”

Not to add insult to injury, but is the above statement actually true? At that moment, possibly the answer is “yes.” Over the long haul the reply would be “no.” Human beings are extremely resilient (no matter the desperation or the length of time their challenge lasts).

Often, what I’ve read (on the Internet) amazes me of the solutions people can come up when they are pushed to the edge of survival. Everyone wants to choose life over death (even suicidal individuals). All they really want to do is stop the physical (or emotional) pain of a particular situation. We all want (and need) peace of some kind in our own part of the world.

In reality, you have two basic options to any struggle you are experiencing. First, deal with the challenge with whatever means necessary. (Consider professional counseling if needed.) You’re second choice is to remove yourself from the emotional issue. Both decisions will have repercussions. So be prepared with what happens as a result of your decision.

Don’t go through your challenges alone. If family (or friends) is not a trustworthy alternative, join a club (or a church) that you share commonalities with, always realize that your Heavenly Father is available (and emotionally open) any time you need to say a prayer.

The Almighty is your final destination to divine tranquility. I Peter 5:7 (NLT) reminds us all to: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.”