Why I never tell my friends "It will be okay."

Because, the truth is, there is no guarantee that tomorrow will be better (or worse) than today. Of course, to some extent, we (and by "we" I mean those that have grown up under the benefits of "upper-classness" in relation to the rest of the world) have control over our lives. We make plans, and often times, those plans are executed successfully. Or, if they're not, we have the potential to work around the kinks and still end up pretty okay.

But even with the cushioning of financial security, good parenting, and even, dare I say it, the guarantee of eternal salvation, there are many things that are beyond our control. No matter how "good we got it," we are rather helpless. We can't control death. We can't control how other people treat us (although, I think to some extent we can have an indirect influence--but that's another entry). We have little, if any, control over the chemical imbalances in our brains that may cause euphoria or depression or a rapid cycling of both extremes. We can't go back in time and change our pasts. We can't look into the future and use that knowledge to avoid unpleasant circumstances. We are limited by space and time.

So, why am I saying all this? Should we as finite, human beings, destined to live out our mortal existence in a fallen, sinful world, throw ourselves a massive pity party? Does this mean we have the right to WHINE?

...No. My point is this: A good life isn't necessarily a life of easy-living and happiness. A good life is trusting in God to help you make the most of what you have been given. That's right. Your life might end up "sucking" really, really, badly. Worse yet, it might even be God's will for your life to "suck"! (And who defines "suck" anyway? Let's be real--it's highly unlikely that our lives will ever reach true "suckiness," in the global scheme of things...) So, I'm saying, suck it up!* Be grateful for everything you have and know that God, through His people, His creation, through anything that He can use (and that is, potentially, EVERYTHING), can give you peace. Joy, even.

I'm not a cynic. I'm not a pessimist. I just think, and this might be extremely arrogant, but I just think this is how it is. And strangely enough, this worldview has given me the deepest joy in life. I know I'm only 25--hardly worthy of saying that I've "lived", but I think maybe I've lived just about enough to know that shit happens, and I refuse to let that be cause enough for me to give up on this life that God has so graciously blessed me with.

Christina

*ugh, that was lame, I know.