Sunday, September 21, 2008

The Escape

Pin It It was last weekend.

I was getting ready for Christmas in September when I found the two balloons I’d purchased for my sister’s birthday still hovering about the house. It amazed me, it was nearly two weeks after I’d purchased them; they both had life in them…life enough to still be airborne.


Well, knowing that birthday balloons were not really the style for the event we had coming up, I decided to pop them. The brightly-colored one was the first to go—after all, it was still in the kitchen and tethered to a gift bag; however, before I could get to the second balloon—the green star—my sister arrived and the balloon, somehow having gotten close to the door, made a lunge for freedom.

Needless to say, it had plenty of strength to make a quick getaway, and before I knew it, it had soared up into the heavens and soon disappeared from sight.

As I stood on the ground below, watching this balloon slowly rise higher and higher, I thought how this balloon was like—and unlike—me. I thought of those things each day I encounter which are bent on destroying my spirit.

When I say ‘spirit’ I am talking about either a destruction of self-esteem, or even an eternal soul.

The ways this destruction can come about are vast and unnumbered, and there have been many times when I find myself deflated and punctured—lying in a crumbled heap upon the floor—like balloon number one. These are usually from the times when I am clinging to people, places, or things which are unhealthy. Those things which are bent on deflating, tethering, and keeping me on the ground.

But as I watched this balloon I thought of how, if I’m really trying, I can ‘escape’ all of these things and rise above them—to a safe place where they cannot harm.

However, I have to be ready to leave them behind and rise above when the door is opened and the opportunity presents itself.

From there, I’ll let the winds carry me.

7 comments:

A Lark said...

Love the analogy. Thanks for letting me get out of my house last night and helping me not be a crumpled heap of a balloon. Still trying to get inflated again...

I didn't ask how the "Christmas" celebration went. Guess we need to chat some more.

Julie said...

I really enjoy reading your blog...whatever various and sundry things you post. Thanks for the food for thought. This really got me thinking about my life.

Gerb said...

Do you think like this all the time, where analogies just pop into your head? They remind me of general conference talks. (look out - you never know who reads these things!)

This was a good one. Thanks.

grinNberrett said...

beautiful analogy.

The pictures of the balloons reminded me of the balloon that I found while hiking in the San Rafael Swell. I always wondered where those run away balloons went.

http://tinyurl.com/deadballon

Danielle said...

You are way too good to get down!! You're awesome and don't you EVER forget it!!

Teachinfourth said...

J - You betcha...anytime.

Jewels - Thanks. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever. I miss our buddy classes.

Gerb - Sometimes. You'd be amazed just how many things happen to me with no thought or analogy at all...more of those than the other. However, the others do come.

IDK about the "GC" thing...don't you have to be spiritual?

G&B - Whoa, that balloon sure did look dead. I certainly hope that when we 'escape' from life's trials we don't end up the same.

However, if I had to die, the desert seems like a pretty good place to do it.

Uncle D - You'd be surprised...it does happen on occasion. Thanks, though.

Panama Jones said...

What's fun is flying past one at 10,000 feet, knowing that some poor little kid or hapless teacher let go of it.

Oh, and the analogy is great, too.

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