I was listening to Dave Grohl’s book, Storyteller, and he said something that stopped me in my tracks. He said, “I have been cured by life.”
It took my breath away.
How many times have I been cured by life?
When I was growing up, if I was whining or being moody or feeling bored or sad, my mom would tell me to “get out there.” She would say, “go out and serve someone.” Or when I was older, she would say, “Wash your face, put some lipstick on, get a Diet Coke and get out there!” And I would go. And it would be okay. I would move past the feeling by living.
But nowadays, we see our child upset (no matter the age) and we launch into a doctorate level search for answers through podcasts, social media, therapists, coaches, essential oils, sound therapy, books, the Bible, prayer circles, meditation, yoga, EMDR, total nutritional overhaul, pharmaceuticals, cryotherapy, saunas, cold plunging, supplements, and fasting.
When it all could have been solved by just playing with the dog in the backyard.
Feeling depressed? Call a friend.
Feeling anxious? Take a walk.
What happened to this kind of advice? Are we so afraid to say something wrong that we are robbing our children of a peaceful, simple, wise, uncomplicated life?
Why are we hell bent on plunging head first into the noise of the world, the chaos of all the opinions? Who are these people we are taking advice from on Instagram? It’s all so contradictory and confusing and sometimes just plain wrong. Why do we invite all of this into our hearts and minds? Why don’t we just go out and live our life?
You know what our young people need?
They need what you need and what I need.
We all need to live. Really live. It is time to “Suck the marrow out of life,” as Thoreau suggests.
For all you young people who are looking for someone to love, get off your phone. Meet people in person. Steal a glance across a crowded room. Smile at someone new. Take a chance. Feel the butterflies of a new relationship. Introduce yourself. Invite someone to join you. Walk and talk and hold hands and kiss. Look into their eyes. Listen. Share your heart. Be vulnerable. Laugh. Be excited. Let yourself be surprised. Don’t make assumptions. Let yourself experience everything. Don’t pull away. Fall in love.
Walk barefoot in the grass. Lift your gaze. Watch the sunrise. Breathe. Pay attention. See the color in everything. Stand in awe as the wind blows your hair back and the sun warms your skin. Exhale. Marvel at the birds and the way our Heavenly Father feeds them. Trust you will have enough.
Enjoy a cold beer and a hot dog in the bleachers at a baseball game. Dance in the aisles at a concert. Stroll through the art museum, go to the opera, attend a gospel brunch. Find a festival, a farmers market, an outdoor church service. Cheer from the stands of a football stadium, hear the drumbeat of the band, place your hand over your heart as you sing the National Anthem. Feel your freedom. Get choked up. Let your heart swell with pride. Give thanks to God.
Let your dog run at the dog park. Swim in the pool and spend hours in the sun chatting and laughing with friends. Walk on the beach in silence and pick up shells. Order nachos poolside. Nap in the sun. Ride rollercoasters and get wet on log rides and eat cotton candy. Blast the music loud in the car and sing (scream) along with friends. Hug a friend so hard you both can’t breathe. Go to the movies and eat so much popcorn you need to get a refill. Get the M&Ms too. Feel the burn of the Diet Coke on your throat.
Paint with your fingers. Dig in the mud. Bake a cake. Buy the flowers. Invite people over. Tell someone how amazing they are. Ask for prayer. Walk around town. Take a bike ride. Travel somewhere. Go buy snacks at the gas station. Look at real photos that are printed in photo albums. Take more photos and print them out. Frame them and litter them all around your home. Call your mom, your sister, your brother, your daughter, your son. Tell them you love them. Tell stories and laugh. Remember all the good stuff. Go to the bookstore and lose yourself for a few hours. Read poetry. Write something.
We don’t have to sit home and search the internet in desperation. We don’t have to isolate, trying to figure it out… stuck, frantic and panicky, hoping some “guru” online has the answers, a label, a diagnosis, the ultimate cure for us and for our children.
We have everything we need.
We have a life.
It’s time to live it.
- When have you been cured by life?
- What are you seeking answers for right now?
- How can you live your life more fully?