And so, in life, we forget that it's real. We think it's all just some big ride, designed to give a thrill and then we get off, safe and sound. Unfortunately, what they forget to tell us is that it's not like that.
I keep forgetting that, though. I keep thinking that what I do won't affect things. I keep forgetting that everything I do has an impact; that there is an eternal perspective and impact to it all. That the people I give my heart to now will affect the way my marriage goes 25 years from now, or how I'll raise my kids. That when I teach Sunday School, I'm not just passing time; I'm touching lives. That when I screw up, I'm not just making things more difficult for a few days, but I'm affecting something--however small--for a long time, if not forever. You know, chain reactions.
But I keep forgetting that. I keep thinking this is all virtual reality. I can get off the ride at the end and be none the worse for wear, except maybe a little bit of queasiness. I'm strapped in nice and tight with my safety belt, inspections, safety standards, trained operators, and timed ride, and I'm not going to get hurt in the process.
Until I get off, and I'm not just queasy, but I wonder where things went wrong, and where I thought that the roller coaster would be so much fun. But the ride's over, and there's nothing left to do about it, except put it out of my mind, and go get on the next ride. The next cheap thrill. The next one will just be virtual, right? One of these days, it'll turn up safe.
infinite || abyss