My Bags Are Packed

As I'm sure is true for most of us, I remember a time in my youth when I decided to run away from home. I don't remember the circumstances that surrounded my decision to pack my bags and hit the road, but I do recall thinking the grass had to be greener elsewhere. And as I'm sure is true for many of us as well, I got to the end of my street and decided to go back home. I've often wondered if Mom and Dad ever knew about my halfhearted attempt to bail out on them, but I'd be willing to bet they did. One thing I've learned as a parent is that parents know far more about their children than their children ever realize.

I'd like to say that I've never wanted to run away from home again after that time in my youth, but that would not be true at all. There have been times down through the years when the grass not only seemed greener on the other side, it seemed that the grass on my side of the fence was brown and dying with little to no hope of bringing it back to life. And yet somehow, life always returned, things greened up, and I walked back up the street and unpacked my bags.

Last week, I told my dogs to decide what they wanted to take and what they wanted to leave behind because we were going to run away ... though I'm not sure it really counts as running away if you plan your departure ahead of time. I found it interesting that both Julie and Ollie didn't seem to appreciate what I was asking of them; in fact, they yawned and curled up on my bed and fell fast asleep. As I climbed into the spot they left for me, I thought about that day so long ago when as a kid I packed my duffle bag intending to run from things in my young life that I thought were impossible to overcome.

Laying in the darkness of my room, it struck me ... it's often easier to run away than it is to stay where I am. When life is tough, when things seem impossible to overcome, when it feels as though I've been punched in the gut ... those are the times when I need to hang in there and stay, to hold on and stay, to do what's hard and stay, to unpack my bags and stay.

Just stay.