Thinking Out Loud, Volume CCCXXIV

One of my friends was telling me that she has been reading about a Native American tribe in the Dakotas who has one of the highest suicide rates in the country. When the experts were brought in to evaluate the problem, one of the things they noted was that the members of this tribe are totally dependent on the government for their livelihood. How can that be? Here's a group of people who should have no worries, no pressure, or no insecurity. They never have to worry where their next meal will come from, because all their needs are being met by you and me...the taxpayers. I'm sure that when Congress made the decision to totally support this group of people, they were doing what they thought was fair and proper, especially after the way they had been treated by our country a hundred years ago. I don't think anyone would disagree with the fact that they got a raw deal as their land and way of life was taken from them when they were rounded up and forced to live on reservations. Now, however, we must ask ourselves if we are still giving them a raw deal by removing their reason for living. Sometimes when I come home from work at the end of a long day or a long week, I think about how nice it would be to just be able to sit back and relax all day without a care in the world. I could sleep until I decide I want to get up, I could leave when I like and not come home until I'm ready. I wouldn't have to worry about my kids, because they would be living the same lifestyle. What a life! Then I take a look at reality. I've observed people who've reached retirement age and that's exactly the life they live. The problem is, they don't live long. I've noticed other of my elders who have retired, but they find something to keep them busy, something to challenge them, and they live a long life. There must be some connection there, and I think I may know what it is. Since I'm a runner, please allow me to use a running analogy to try to describe what I'm talking about. Running is my passion, but if you see me at the eight-mile point of a thirteen mile run and you ask me if I'm having fun, the answer will most likely be a resounding, "No!" If that's the case, then why do I continue to run? I believe there's an inherent need in all of us for a challenge. Although during the run I can't honestly say that I'm having a good time, the joy comes when I'm able to say, "Mission accomplished." No sports fan wants to see his team lose, but he would not enjoy the games if losing was not a possibility. The chance of failure keeps us going, and as we get better at what we're doing and failure becomes less likely, we then have a tendency to up the odds. No one wants to fail, but I don't think we can feel like our lives have value if the chance of failure is removed. The time will come in all our lives when we'll be forced to slow down...it's just a fact of life...but we must not stop. Let me refer you to Isaiah 40:31: "They who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Notice the order of events in that scripture. First you fly, then you run, then you walk, but stopping is not even mentioned as an option. If we want to be successful, we must keep striving with the possibility of failure continually in front of us. Preston