How long do you hold on to a piece of burning coal before dropping it back into the fire? This begs the question: Why did you pick it up to begin with? Perhaps you thought it was pretty, and you were unaware that it was too hot for your delicate skin. Perhaps you thought you were special, and could be the one person of all the people who could hold a burning piece of coal without getting hurt. Perhaps you wanted to save the piece of burning coal from the bigger fire in which it sat--after all, it did not start out on fire, did it? It really doesnt matter why you picked it up. You did pick it up. And, oh, you held on for a long time. Longer than most--good for you! How brave and noble you are, for letting that thing singe your flesh. How long do you hold on? Until it gets uncomfortable? No, far longer than that. Until it starts to hurt? Even longer--what is pain, if it means a greater good is transpiring? Until it begins to crumble and shed embers on those around you? They will be okay. They wont get burned. How long do you hold on? It never tries to leave your hand. That must mean it wants to be there. So you keep holding on. You keep expecting it to stop burning. Shouldnt it stop burning, eventually? It doesnt stop burning. It grows hotter in your hand. So hot that the flesh is no longer separate from the piece of coal. They have melded together, and now you may not be able to let go even if you wanted to. Still, it burns. And it lets you hold it. And you think to yourself, I am no longer as brave and noble as I once thought I was. You find yourself feeling stupid for picking up that piece of burning coal. More stupid for holding on so long. Angry at yourself for letting it hurt you. Letting it consume you. Letting it think you were being kind to it. Helping it. Being a better person for being that one person who never let it go. Blinded by the smoke caused by your burning flesh. How long do you hold on? Until you realize that piece of burning coal will eventually kill you. It will eat through your hand and move on to your heart. It will destroy you completely. You pry it from your hand--and oh, how it hurts! It hurts so bad that you think about giving up. Giving in. But you keep tugging at it until it rips from your skin. You let it drop back into the fire. Now, it is time to let your hand heal. And next time, you wont be tempted by those burning coals. You will walk right by them. You will. Because no one ever forgets pain like that. Not ever. Dana Beth Stenholtz 1/11/2015
Posted on: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 06:23:59 +0000
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