Sunday, February 9, 2014

F O C U S

She shifted impatiently once again in her desk as she inhaled sharply. As usual, her thoughts were dashing and dancing around in her head, seizing the attention she should probably be using for her present class. What class was she even in again?

Her contemplation reflected back to yesterday’s interactions with different people; primarily the ones with boys. Memories of the past had her concentration locked in and lingering on previous words spoken, feelings experienced, stolen glimpses of people with whom so many elements of their relationship had changed. Memory released her from his anguishing clutches, but it was only for a brief instance as Wanting lured her in.

A thief can only acquire what already exists, and Wanting possesses the auspicious ability to not be known as a thief, but producing potential desires. Scenarios and yearnings echo relentlessly throughout her head. The incessant questions and “What if-s?” of the future have Wanting greedily inhaling this with satisfaction. Playing with her ever-changing emotions, Wanting decides the time of his visitation has been adequate, and he vanishes with a content smirk on his face.

She abruptly jolts, with a profound realization of her return to the present. Noticing words scrawled carelessly on the whiteboard in front of her, she exhales unevenly, picks up her pen, and copies down the meaningless definitions. 

***
In the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, there is a theme about the Past, Present, and Future. Letter 15 says:
"In a word, the Future is, of all things, the thing least like eternity. It is the most completely temporal part of time - for the Past is frozen and no longer flows, and the Present is all lit up with eternal rays... Hence nearly all vices are rooted in the future. Gratitude looks to the past and love to the present; fear, avarice, lust, and ambition look ahead" (76).

The passage above that I wrote is heavily based off of my own current situations. The idea of personifying Memory and Wanting originated directly from a book I just finished reading entitled, Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton, where she personified emotions. (An amazing book, I might add!)

I find myself, lately, constantly full of worry, hardly ever at peace. My emotions experiencing peaks and troughs incessantly throughout each day. It's when I go to my Bible that I really experience the peace God gives to us when we ask. I'm in a devotional plan currently called, "Be Blessed", on the Bible app on my iPad, and every scripture seems to relate and give me the encouragement I need for the previous experiences of the day.

Our focus should be directed on living a Godly life, and we should not be distracted by the things of this world. God has blessed me with a great life, and I know I can always turn to him for comfort.


-Riley



1 comment:

  1. I really like this a lot! I can see why Mrs.R wants you to be in the club!

    ReplyDelete