Really, How Deep Can It Be?

"Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles, and less than perfect conditions. So what? Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident, and more and more successful."

-- Mark Victor Hansen, author, motivational speaker

What do you do when your path dumps into a swamp? Well, I squat down beside it and ponder the numerous critters that may inhabitant the barrier before me. I pay particular attention to the size of any ripples originating from movement below the surface. It's the thing you can't see, but you figure it's first to worry about.  Most likely, what bites you in the butt will probably be any of their friends.  There is always a “wingman” waiting in the wings for your attention to focused elsewhere before they strike.

Yeah, well, an army of frogs can be intimidating, but it's the snakes and gators I'd worry more about.  I can fight off the frogs as long as I still have both legs and my muscles haven't fallen victim to any myonecrosis due to myotoxins injected by some unseen viper.  No, frogs would be the least of my worries.  How deep the water is matters little if the inhabitants consider themselves to be at the top of the food chain or, at least, higher than me.  Stepping into the water is an invasion of their circus and by doing so, I've willingly presented myself as their tasty monkey.  Understanding this, more pondering of options might be advisable.

"Low self-confidence isn't a life sentence. Self-confidence can be learned, practiced, and mastered--just like any other skill. Once you master it, everything in your life will change for the better."

-- Barrie Davenport, inspirational author

Such is life.  Most of us simply give the swamp ahead a cursory glance before we wade into it, oblivious to the dangers which lurk in its murky depths.  We don't weaponize for the trek and are, therefore, ill prepared for any attack during the crossing.  We are going to die.

Unless you're in a hurry to get somewhere, the better option would be to simply go around the obstacle.  I mean, it's a lot less dangerous to discover how big it is than to find out how deep it is.  You can climb out on the other side knowing you have defied death or you can meet interesting people and party every night as you work around it.  Soaking wet and muddy or a hangover with a smile on your face?  Hmmm, decisions, decisions.

"Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit."

-- E.E. Cummings (1894-1962), poet

If you absolutely must cross the swamp, take the time to prepare for the challenge ahead.  Like the rest of life, it is so much easier to move forward when we've prepared ourselves for the journey.  Take the time to live life, to savor the moments, to prepare for tomorrow.  Tomorrow will come, so you might as well be prepared to make the most of it.  The only other option, other than going around, is to sit down and simply wait to die while moaning and complaining that you're stuck.

After years of sitting down at the edge of the swamp, stuck, afraid to move forward, wouldn't it just piss you off to see someone coming through from the otherside, only ankle deep in the murky water and carrying they're shoes and a deliciously smelling greasy offering in a fast food bag?  Really?

How deep can it be?

Sometimes we just have to throw caution to the wind and take the first step.  Wrapping our minds around this concept is easier when we prepare ourselves, as best we can, for the unexpected obstacles that crop up during our journey.  An important part of this preparation is simply having the mindset, the mental fortitude, a faith in yourself that you can rise above any obstacle which presents itself.  Faith in yourself is the least expensive preparation you can make - it's free!

"The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear and get a record of successful experiences behind you."

-- William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925),  3 x presidential nominee

Faith, simply stated, is an exceptionally strong belief in a conviction, especially a conviction for which there is little or no proof.  Faith is a belief in yourself, or others, that you can rise to the occasion even though historical evidence provides no proof that you can.  It is that moment when everyone else says, "No, you can't!" and you find yourself taking a stand and yelling back, "Yes, I can!"  It is that moment when you look at the swamp and take a deep breath, steeling yourself against fear so you can take that first brave step.

"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced."

-- Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), artist

It is that first brave step when you realize you never have to look back; you have risen above adversity, laughed in the face of danger, and told the naysayers that you have a faith they can only dream of.  You have looked at the obstacle before you as inconsequential and boldly stated, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!"  Or, you can be like me, squatting at the edge of danger, carefully considering the dangers and the options.  Then, when you've sifted all the information through that sieve we call a brain, you calmly stand and smile, whispering to no one in particular, "How deep can it be?"

Learn to have faith.

"As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live."

-- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), author, statesman

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with a world renowned Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.