DO YOU THINK WE CREATE DRAMA OR EVEN HOPE FOR A LITTLE BIT OF NEGATIVITY TO SPICE UP OUR LIVES WHEN THEY BECOME SLIGHTLY BORING OR MUNDANE?
This whole idea occurred to me last week when my sweet boy came home from school with a fever. Now is not a great time to be sick with the COVID-19 virus on the rampage. So of course I freaked out a little bit, imagining all the worst case scenarios as I snuggled his warm body next to mine on the couch.
Should I take him to the doctor? What if he doesn’t have the virus but we are quarantined for two weeks? Even worse, what if he does have the virus? And on and on it went.
As these thoughts rolled around in my mind, I prayed that he would be healed quickly. It was a breath of a prayer in my mind, but something else down in the depths was going on. When I dug down really deep and was really honest with myself, there was a little glint of evil joy and excitement about the possible drama that might ensue from his sickness.
I was shocked to discover that I was getting a rush from the thought that my son might be seriously ill and we’d have a bit of drama in our otherwise normal, happy lives. I was shocked and horrified. How could I possibly want that for my child?
And of course, I didn’t. So I prayed a much more sincere prayer the second time around that made it clear I actually didn’t need that much excitement in my life and I would be perfectly okay if the fever ended abruptly without any drama.
It made me feel off-center that I was having this conversation in my head. I realized that this type of spark can ignite drama in our brains that then moves outward towards others if we don’t catch it and put out the flame before it spreads.
Boredom! Stagnation! If you’re like me and have a fairly normal life without much excitement, it’s possible you might go looking for a thrill or even try to create one. Perhaps this is why some people are adrenaline junkies. That seems pretty obvious, but for a person like me who isn’t super active or adventurous, the drama and adrenaline usually takes place in my stagnant mind. And that’s a dangerous place to let such thoughts form and stew where they might fester to the point of boiling over and affecting those around us.
This is most likely why we’re so drawn to television drama as well. I know I am. And after this realization of mine, I’ve decided I much prefer to keep those feelings on the screen where I can turn them off whenever I want rather than introducing them into my otherwise stable life where it might create instability and discord.
We long for adventure and excitement, but when we become so bored with everyday life that we start turning that natural desire into something a little more sinister or even evil, I think that’s when it’s time to get a new hobby! Preferably an active one!
There’s enough going on in this world without needing to create drama in your own home. Home should be a place of rest and peace and stability from the outside. So stop those thoughts before they gain traction! Be intentional and pay attention to what you’re thinking about and why. And if necessary, go for a good, long jog! Excuse me while I lace up my tennis shoes.