wisdom spotlight - theresa mclees

​Have you ever signed up for something and later regretted it? The best scenario is when you willingly pay for something, followed by "What was I thinking?". That was my experience when I signed myself and my kids up for trapeze school at the Santa Monica Pier. I was pulled by the thought of the lifelong memories we'd make, then I was tugged by the fear for my life. Tug and pull: such is life, right? Especially when life is transitioning and you need to let go of something and grab hold of something new. Ironically, much of trapeze school was like life.
I signed up for something that seemed like a good idea (like life) & my kids were beyond excited. I couldn't wimp out now and let anyone down (like life).  We were given minimal instruction (like life) on the ground and expected to "do it" after being shown the stunt once. After I climbed a rickety ladder and stood on the platform, I thought, "How can I back out now?" (like life). It felt like everyone was watching & they were all going to witness me fail (like life). I needed encouragement (like life). The young trapeze worker on the platform said to me, "You'll do great. Don't over think it. Sometimes you just gotta let Jesus take the wheel" (like life). And I did (like life). It was frightening (like life), exhilarating (like life) and I felt closer to God (like life).

In trapeze class, you literally need to let go of your grip from one safe place to get to your next safe place. However, you cannot not let go until you're firmly grasping your next safe place. How wonderful is it to know that Jesus always has a firm grip on us and will never let you go? And what if we fall...from a trapeze or otherwise? There's a harness and a net to catch you in trapeze school. In life, it's Jesus who's always there to break our fall and catch us.

Yes, I signed up for something that resulted in serious buyer's remorse, but later was thankful for the growth caused by the discomfort. Sometimes we need to let go of something and grab on to something else in order to move forward and grow. All the while, remembering that there is always a strong grip on us.