Growing Pains

When is it safe to say that you’ve had enough? How does one feel okay with saying “uncle” when the other parties aren’t ready to throw in their towel? A caring heart can only handle so much until it is spread too thin and torn. Expectations, when disappointed, throw daggers at the bull’s eye. Often said that it is better to be stabbed in the front than the back; is it possible to want to be oblivious as to who has caused this sharp pain? Instances have proven that time heals all wounds however, does it rebuild the burnt bridges with ashes still smoldering beneath it? Or, on the other hand, does it leave a liability between the smoke clouds consuming the progress of the bridge? Does this allot for the river running beneath it to put out the ashes and clear the smoke to see the reality for what it is? And on that note, will the reality be the same or molded into a mirage to fool a kind heart into a bad situation? As we grow older, there are more catch 22’s than hard truths and honest situations. Many viewpoints differ when conversing on this subject yet it is a safe bet to assume one has endured a situation leaving the bitter feelings often spoken about.

Furthermore, when is closure appropriate? How does one know when “uncle” should be said aloud? Human nature brings to the forefront of our minds the guilt of closing chapters and starting new ones without dog-earring pages or going back to read the little foot notes we scribbled down on the way through our previous chapters. Growing up matures our minds and helps us better understand the messy, cracked wooden steps that have so conveniently been placed along our beaten path. Knowing that patience is a virtue is one of the many hardest lessons to learn throughout life however, as in Rabbi Nahman’s words, "If we won't be better tomorrow than we are today, then what do we need tomorrow for?"