A Texas Wake Up

C.S. Lewis wrote frequently on the question of pain, suffering and the role of both in our spiritual lives. “Pain is God’s megaphone,” is the long and short of it. I came across that quote a short time ago, and puzzled with what it hinted at. 

Let’s go back a few weeks ago. A work trip sent me to southwestern Texas, the part of the country suffering from an unrelenting heatwave. But I lived in the southwest for a number of years and figured, heat, pah! “It’s only early June, I’m used to this stuff!”

To Texas I went, with places to see and friends to hang out with. Images of cabanas and margaritas filled my head on the plane, and as soon as I landed I began making plans. The next morning, I went off to sightsee, armed only with a teeny bottle of water. You may see where this is going . . .  I planned on skipping an afternoon tour but all my friends were going. Too rushed to eat a proper lunch, I headed out, elated to be free (for once!) of toddlers and obligations. 

Fast forward 5 hours later. I’m in a hotel room after being ESCORTED from the tour with bottles of ice water affixed to my head. 24 hours later, I miraculously emerged from my hotel room after copious amounts of Gatorade and room service. Feeling starved, light headed and weak, I changed my ticket to come home early. At the Dallas airport, I ate McDonald’s.

For those who know me, this little detail hints at just how awful I felt. I write this now nearly two weeks after the fact. This incident got my attention in ways I could not have foreseen. I haven’t been taking care of myself. Healthy bodies don’t need two weeks to recover from heat exhaustion. I haven’t been eating enough and of the right things. Since I returned, I informed everyone of my new quest–to fill my body with good things and to feel better. I’m nearly two weeks into it, and I can tell you the difference is marked. 

God shows us where to turn. The internal compass is the holy spirit, guiding you along the path. But if you won’t listen? I don’t think of it as punishment. I don’t view God as a stern school-marm or angry patriarch. But I do know God loves us so much, that he allows us to choose. Free will can be a dangerous thing, this I learned the hard way.

The best lesson from all of this is the value of learning. I’m not mad about what happened, I don’t blame anyone, not even myself. I know why it happened and I know what changes I need to make to get my weight up to where it needs to be. More importantly, I realize how precious health and wellness are, and how easy it is to take them for granted. Sitting in that hotel room, unable to muster the energy to shower, I knew how weak we are. But I also know God’s healing grace. Join me in celebrating that.