The Pit

I could not believe my bad luck. Things were going so well. Life was so good. Then – boom! Out of nowhere, my world crumbled.

I find myself at the bottom of a deep pit. Look at this mess. I’m stuck. I’m stuck here forever. There is no way out of this one. 

I need help. I need help badly. I need help now.

So I cry out, “HELP ME! HELP ME OUT!”

I was joyous when The Man finally showed up. Yes, he really does listen. And he must care! He really must care.

Me: Hey, I’m so glad you are here. Listen, there’s been some sort of unfortunate occurrence here. Look, apparently, there has been some mistake that avoided your attention. There must be some misunderstanding because this freakish thing has resulted in me being cast into the bottom of this pit.

The Man: There has been no mistake. Life is not predictable. Sometimes, you end up in good places for no specific reason, and other times, you enter the pit.

Me: But the universe, under your domain, has plunged me into this pit, so I know you can pull me out just as quickly. So don’t stand there. I really need to get out of here now to resume my good life. So just give me a hand and pull me out.

The Man: I’m not going to do that.

Me: Why not? All I want is for my life to be comfortable, stable, and prosperous again. So, can you just pull me out of here - now?

The Man: My purpose is not to make your life comfortable. And I’m not your genie. I’m not here to instantly restore things on a whim.

Me: But look at this mess! I can’t fix this. How do you suggest I get out of this pit?

The Man: You’re going to have to crawl out.

Me: What? You cannot be serious. This is going to be a demanding and arduous climb. It’s going to take a long time, and I'm not even sure I can do it.

The Man: Well, that's the only way out. So, as soon as you recover from the shock, I suggest you begin to crawl out.

Me: This is so unfair. So, I’ve got to crawl out of here? You’re not pulling me out? What are you going to do to help me? Are you just going to stand there offering occasional words of encouragement?

The Man: I will provide you with comfort in your journey.

Me: Oh, that’s just great. And what if you are not near and I can’t hear these platitudes?

The Man: I assure you; you will hear my voice.

Me: How? How do you know as I am struggling, aching, crawling out of this awful place that I will hear you?

The Man: Because my child, I will be crawling right beside you. And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world, even at the bottom of the deepest pit. 

Signed copies of my book Deep Heavy Stuff and available at: donake1.com