Yep, that’s me with my beautiful two-year-old grandson,
Emory, posing inside a shark cage during a visit to the
Virginia Living Museum in Newport News, Virginia. I had a fantastic day with my
daughter, son-in-law and Emory as we explored this fabulous museum and enjoyed
a weekend getaway to Williamsburg. My daughter and I were exchanging the dozens
(OK, maybe dozens and dozens) of photos we’d taken and this one stood out.
Like many families, ours has been under stress lately and
this mini vacation gave us the space to take a breath. Relax. Do something
different. Have FUN.
As I looked at the photos of our adventure, this one stopped
me in my tracks. I suddenly understood a truth I’d forgotten in the stress of
the past few weeks. It was so apparent as I gazed at this picture.
The stress we’d been experiencing was a “cage” created by
our thoughts. Yes, we’d lived through a tough family situation, the trauma was
real. However, as I looked at this photo, I realized that after we acknowledged
and dealt with the event, only our thoughts kept the drama of the situation
alive.
Emory and I had walked through the open side of this shark cage
to take a goofy picture. And we walked out. Because he’s only a toddler, we walked
in and out a few times.
Just like that shark cage, I realized I’d “walked in and
out” of the cage I’d created in my mind a few times. More than once, I’d forgotten
the side was open and I could walk out of this cage anytime I changed the way I
thought about the situation. I realized I could get out of my "cage" anytime I wanted.
The things you learn on vacation….
