Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: FIRE (08/04/22)
-
TITLE: Enkindle | Previous Challenge Entry
By Laurie Bahlke
08/08/22 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
“Journey, you should simply provide the instructions during the Summer Cycle. Instruction would best fit there.” Journey flinched a bit. Walker knew how difficult Summer Cycles were and to do so meant Journey would be spending long days in apprenticeship teaching followed by Sojourner instruction. This felt heavy.
“I don’t think I can do that. I wouldn’t have the time to do either job well.”
“If you cared about the Sojourners, you will make it work.”
“I do care about them but…”
Walker stopped her from continuing, “Well, it doesn’t seem like you care.” The tone in his voice resonated with superiority and judgment, cutting colors of deep red and dark black-purple, the colors of injury.
It was the mixture of the words “if you really care” that stirred both hurt and anger in Journey. She had valued Walker’s opinions and thought they were friends, and now she felt terribly offended. Whatever their differences, Journey thought Walker knew her well enough to know that to “care” was both a blessing and a curse for it was one emotion that could consume her to the point of losing herself in colors of grey.
Journey left the encounter angry. She burned with resentment, and the flame of what felt like an assault on her character and values enkindled more hurt. Journey knew that the combination of hurt, and anger could lead to some poor choices, one of which she made on that day.
Journey promptly wrote a letter to the one who offended her, the one whom she both loved and hated at that moment. How dare you ascribe to me things you know nothing about? How dare you accuse me of not caring when you yourself appear cold and indifferent? How is it that your solutions are always best when clearly, they are not? Journey wanted to cut at him, as he had at her. She sent the letter off with a courier, and cried, as she squared away her shoulders in a stance of righteousness, silver that changed to the color of midnight. Moments later, she wondered if she had been consumed by a fire that would do nothing to repair.
Days passed before Journey received a response, the weight of which would still with her forever. Walker had written that her letter was harsh and that she had treated him poorly and as “less than a thinking, feeling being.” Journey’s words had injured. In haste and hurt, she had let her emotions run amuck to protect her injured self-esteem, and only at that moment did she see how wrong she had been.
Some say that time is a great friend. Others might say, it is not. For Journey, she let time pass, hoping it might settle the pain. Six weeks after the mixing of emotion, and reflection on the memory of it, Journey showed at Walker’s door. As soon as the door opened, she quickly apologized and although tears flooded her eyes like blue sapphires, he remained stoic. He thanked her for coming and then closed the door.
Each one of us has likely been a Journey or a Walker, either giving the hurt or receiving it. We enkindle sparks that have the power to churn into flame. After the insult or injury, there may be melting and melding of hearts in forgiveness or there may simply be stone where friendship, comradery, or love once existed. We should remember to learn and be humbled by such lessons as we carry them like green grassy moss so that what we do or say isn’t the product of anger but rather the tender colors of patience and humility. James, the brother of Jesus, left us words to live by, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters, you must all be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” James 1: 19-20 (NLT).
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.