The 5 minute Friday prompt is Stay…
I’m standing in her kitchen and my husband is in the van waiting for me. My dear friend says, “It is harder to stay. You have it so much better.”
I can’t think of how this can be true. I’m about to drive 20 hours in a over packed van with a 3 year old and another baby girl on the way. I’m about to enter a place where I know not one person. I am stepping into the great unknown. Stay is harder? Being the one left behind is harder? I’m thinking it is looking so much easier than being brave.
Fast forward 10 years. I’ve lived the adventure. I’ve put down roots. I’ve added 2 more girls besides the 2 we came with in the van that day. I’ve learned the hard of stay. Stay when. . .
- others have moved on.
- it would have been easier to let go.
- life got complicated and beginning a new adventure would have been easier.
But stay has produced roots I never knew would be so difficult to grow. Stay has made me cling to the One who said go in the first place. Stay has made me like the one who says, “Never will I leave you or forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
I look around and see that stay is hard. And maybe, just maybe the real act of brave.
I like that – the thought that there’s so much that can grow from those roots. I’ve been experiencing something along those lines since my study abroad experience (which is 3/4 done now) is for only four months…it’s not long enough to properly settle down, but it IS long enough to extend a few roots here and there. So the tug is in both directions, but I’m still relieved that I will be “uprooted” in a month’s time.
Many times, like in your situation we can’t “stay” forever. But the experience can stay with us and we can leave part of our hearts in the community we had to leave. Prayers on your coming and going friend!
To stay is often to not be part of the adventure, to continue doing the same thing day after day after day. It is hard and probably does require a bigger dose of courage. Thank you.
wonderful sharing. Yes to stay is easier but to move on into new then to stay…and take root. Is good too. Glad it was positive for you.
“Fast forward 10 years. ” This is the part I cannot envision when I are embarking on these adventures and want to stay behind.
This is lovely Stacey. You took STAY in a direction I haven’t read in other posts. It truly touched my heart.
Thank you!
“I look around and see that stay is hard. And maybe, just maybe the real act of brave.” So true. It takes courage sometimes to stay, when it would be easier to run away! Have a beautiful weekend Stacey!