Adversity? Just keep breathing.

What adversity are you dealing with right now? How are you allowing it to build you character?

I woke up this morning t these questions. They were the questions at the end of my devotional that ae supposed to allow for greater reflection. Coincidentally, I am dealing with some “adversity” today. I lost two people from my small circle of friends here in prison. When I saw small, I mean today I lost both my friends. They left for good reasons. I am glad for them. In prison, there is always the possibility of moving without notice, but most of the time it is planned depending on where you are in your time served. As you get closer to the end of your sentence, you get ready to leave for a work-release camp or go to a camp closer to your home for the re-entry process. If you are looking for a change, you can request a transfer to another camp, but only once a year. Either way, you have a good idea you are leaving at some time in the near future.

While I am happy for the guys, I’m left dealing with the fact that the relationships I’ve careful developed over the last two years are over. To think any of us are going to want to hang out after we get out is not a reality. In prison, there is a strength in numbers and you typically gravitate to people more like yourself. I’ve found very few who are much like me. Yeah, I have the same relationships as you. I have the many who I deal with for different reasons, but the inner circle is very tight. There is nothing like the loneliness felt while being surrounded by “acquaintances.” The one thing prison has taught me, however, is to deal with the transient relationships. I’ll survive this episode too.

If I paid attention to. My reading yesterday, I would have seen this, “August reminds us of the impermanence of all things. All that seems dependable will someday pass away.”  SOMEDAY…not TODAY…isn’t that what we always say? If we take a minute to be mindful of our situation on this Earth, we will be reminded of the fleeting moments of life. Yet, we still feel vulnerable and unprepared when these things happen to us. Shame on us.

As I move forward today, I deal with broken relationships and the lesson of life reinforced itself once again. As King Solomon said in the Book of Ecclesiastes, “So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no man knows whether love or hate awaits him.” Very wise words from so long ago, but such wise words are still relevant today. His advice helps me to answer the second question from the opening quote of this blog. I put it all in God’s hands today. While things have not been east, He has never let me down.

So, what’s the take-away from this essay? Today, take a minute to let the people who are important to you know that they are important to you. Take the time to cherish your relationships. But if you’re like me, well, just smile and keep breathing. Today is another opportunity to start something awesome.

“So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no man knows whether love or hate awaits him.” Ecclesiastes 9:1