June 4 2018 – Click here to listen
A friend of mine came for a visit over the weekend. When he arrived, he was full of anxiety and seemed ready to explode. He was muttering about too much drama at his home and seemed to be on the verge of tears.
I gently tried to prod him to tell me what drama he was enduring, but aside from blurting out a few comments about some family members he remained mute. He told me repeatedly that he was really looking forward to just relaxing in a stress-free atmosphere.
As soon as he arrived we had to go down to the marina where my boat is temporarily housed so a buddy of mine could install a gauge for me. We sat on the boat and talked about old times while he worked. Afterwards my wife came down to the marina to meet us and I took everyone to a great dinner of boiled shrimp, crabs, clams, crawfish, lobster, mussels, corn, red potatoes, and sausage. It was a great meal and we laughed and shot the breeze and had a good time.
When we got home we had Key Lime pie and then sat around and talked some more on into the night. The next morning, we got up and went offshore fishing in my boat. The weather was perfect, meaning the seas were very calm, and not one cloud appeared in the sky. We rode around the Atlantic for several hours looking for fish, but alas didn’t do any good.
I was griping about the slow day of fishing and then I caught myself and remarked how stupid it was to gripe. “Just imagine how many people would love to trade places with us and be on this boat on these beautiful blue seas whether we are catching fish or not,” I said. He wholeheartedly agreed.
When we got tired of fishing we headed back in, put the boat up and headed to my house where we loaded up his vehicle with miscellaneous stuff that he wanted, and I no longer needed after my recent move. We had another great meal, but then he insisted on driving home.
He looked at me and the strain that was in his eyes and the handwringing was no longer evident. He looked to be at peace. He told me that he really hated to leave because he knew he was heading right back into the drama, but he had to “take care of some things.”
I tried to get him to stay another night, but he said he had to go. Now this guy is getting on up in age and as I reviewed his situation, my heart went out to him. I knew he had to be tired, but here he was driving into the night, so he could get home and face tumultuous chaos unnecessarily.
Ugh . . .
The Bible points out that we will have trouble in this world, and I believe that; however, much of it can be avoided. Throughout my life I have found certain people who thrive on drama and seem to think they are put on this earth to stress everyone around them to the point that they are just as miserable as they are. I have learned to distance myself from them and while it might appear rude or heartless, I don’t want to be around people like that and I frankly tell them to stay away from me until they get their problems resolved.
I hate drama and love peace. If you are facing the “wet blanket” of some drama king or queen, you might consider putting some distance between you and them. Interestingly I read this morning where Simon Cowell creator of American Idol has quit using his cell phone and is now entering his tenth month without even turning it on. I can only imagine how many calls he was receiving and how much stress it caused him, but though it might sound extreme, he said he has never been happier.
Maybe we should all analyze what is creating our stress and just remove the things and people that are bugging us and draw closer to the ones who are sane and love peace. And keep in mind there is nothing like a good day on the water or spending a day afield, or at a ball game with a friend to get your mind right.
Proverbs 13:20
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.