Help!

When I was in seventh grade, they blindfolded us and made us walk around like that.

No I'm not about to tell you about some Sister Mary Terrible that punished severely for speaking out of turn. I loved my Sister Maries. No this was some type of leadership retreat they made us do. Usually, leadership retreats ended with somebody getting expelled or suspended. Like I did that one time (it was a strict Catholic school). Rebelling against leadership. The story of my life.

Sarah, Stuart and I on New Year's Eve. New Orleans was big and easy. Nothing like a night with your closest friends. Stu was the one who got suspended with me on the leadership retreats in 7th grade.

Anyway, we were blindfolded and hung on to a rope. It was some sort of rope maze, and we had to figure out how to get out of it by just following the ropes. The trick was that there was no way out of the maze unless you asked for help. 

Name after name was announced leaving the maze, and I was getting angrier by the second. Finally, I was like "I've felt all over this place! There is no way out!" They said, "Do you want some help?" I said, "No! I'd rather die! I'll find my own way!" (I don't think it was that dramatic, maybe more like "No thank you, sir. I'm sure I'm getting close.") 

Sarah, Stuart, me and Mary Brette. We got to see Greg Allman at the House of  Blues. Wonderful, wonderful. I feel so wonderful.

But after 4 hours of listening to all the other kids groan about the other activities they wanted to do, I asked for help. That's when they took my blindfold off. Besides for the 20 grouchy and angry kids standing in front of me, I saw their tricky-ticky-tacky little point. Ask for help. You can't do it by yourself.

Funny, how I was the last, most stubborn, insubordinate child in the bunch about this issue. Goes to show why that's a lesson I've learned over and over in my life.

Here's the thing: Nothing that you will do can be done alone. Nothing. You're thinking: "What? I do lots of stuff on my own. I don't need a freaking support group to make my bed." And you're right. Please don't go hire a butler to help you eat your oatmeal. 

Having a butler would be fantastic. I personally would love that. But we've all got something better: God. 

God is closer than you think. God is within. I've made so many mistakes. Most of the time, I didn't take the time to ask for guidance. I am still making those lame accidents. Because this no-help conditioning still has a little grip on my psyche. I mean this morning alone I've made two. But I buffered up and got aligned.

So it's constant communication, constant connection with that powerful Source within. That's the only thing that will save you from a blind rope course. God bless those cheesy little retreats and their trick activities. 

As you might know, I don't believe in resolutions. A hard-rock head like mine has to do around-the-clock work to make self-improvements.  But if you have some resolutions (and they are great, they just don't work on me), maybe some talking to the one who made you might help. Especially if the resolution seems bigger than you. Nothing at all wrong with Divine Support. And it's free! 

Communicatively,

Liza Jane