Running from trouble…

We get so good at dodging bullets, wiggling out of uncomfortable situations, and avoiding unpleasant responsibilities that we think there is very little that life can throw at us that we can’t handle or turn to our purposes. Then the fateful day comes when we encounter that thing or situation that won’t cooperate—no matter what we do. Using the biblical allusion, when this happens we feel like a “bird caught in a snare”, and we are discomfited entirely by the realization that we are not in complete control. Taking this aphorism to heart means making a conscious effort to not underestimate challenges that may occur or people we may encounter, as both may ultimately prove to be far more influential to our survival than we think. It means acknowledging that part of life includes the occasional experience of being dominated by circumstance. Although we cannot escape a trap once we are in it, we can try to avoid the trap in the first place, prepare, as best we can, for the eventuality of falling into the trap, or at a minimum accept the inevitable consequences, come what may.