Oh, I remember it well. I was a junior in high school. How exciting as we climbed the "ladder of status" that year. There would be prom...and even more exciting...Driver's education classes and road training so that we would...become licensed drivers! We would finally be recognized as the adults we thought we had been for years. :)
It was very busy with classes, prom plans, Church, an active youth group, youth choir, ball games, time with friends, FBLA president duties and home responsibilities. It was turning out to be quite a year.
Spring arrived which included my driver's road training. It would be a long but thrilling process. Yet each day I felt progressively worse. But I would not complain. This was my time to drive the Driver's Ed car around our county and various cities. I would push through whatever I felt. Somehow I made it. The hours were driven and logged. The Driver's Ed teacher pulled away from my house. I went inside and collapsed...coughing up blood.
A trip to the doctor revealed that I had double pneumonia and severe anemia. Quite disappointed, I brought home several medications and strict orders for bedrest until released to return to school. That could take at least a week, or more. There were no cell phones, text messages, PCs or emails. I simply had to rest, complete assignments sent home and recover.
In the middle of illness and time away from friends, I eventually realized that the medicine was working. The serious infection was being killed and recovery was in sight. I remember how unpleasant those medications tasted but because of them, my exciting life would resume. :) It had indeed become a time to heal...including a time to destroy what had made me ill. It was also a time to tear down a much too busy lifestyle and build a healthier one.
Life is often like that. We find ourselves struggling...suffering...maybe even in serious danger...because we aren't taking care of ourselves...physically, emotionally, mentally...and yes, even, spiritually. We become so overwhelmed with activities, goals, social standards and perhaps even images to maintain...that we don't realize how dangerous our journey has become. Then we wonder how we became distracted, deceived...or maybe destroyed. Perhaps our faith weakened and we feel lost.
I wish I could say that I learned a once-in-a-lifetime lesson from that pneumonia experience. Unfortunately, I have repeatedly found my health and journey...on many levels...lacking because I didn't focus on what...and Who...was most important. I pray that my choices will improve when I realize there is a time to remove what is destructive and remain close to the One who is Divine.♥~thl
..."a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build".. Ecclesiastes 3: 3
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