The Next Day Does Come

DAYS THAT ARRIVE without hope—those dashed before they’ve begun—make life a little hell. Fear or pain or reticence has its way from the conscious moment dot. How do we get up when, like Gulliver, there are a million cables strapping us to the bed?

Sometimes it’s pointless reasoning. Some days arrive like that; worse than we anticipate. The hole has already swallowed us.

There is one thing that can help, which we forget, however.

That thing is defiance. We can get up if we will ourselves up, but we must make the decision, because nobody else can. Once the decision is made the mind takes over and the deed is done, at the time of actually doing it; a miracle of the Spirit overcoming the flesh.

Self Defiance Versus Self Compassion

Something we must know—and only we can tell—is when it’s appropriate to show self defiance, ordering ourselves out of bed or a sloth of some other form, and when it’s appropriate to allow ourselves rest.

Many times the only threat that presents is the slippery slide into a worsening oblivion. Perhaps it depends on strength—do we have the strength to get through this day? That’s the question. Sometimes we do and sometimes we don’t.

What we should pray for, at all times—not just these times of depression, is the wisdom to make the right long-term choice; to decide what is best.

For instance, it is no good to force ourselves into the nebulous world when our minds are tremulous and defiant for self protection. Likewise, why laze in bed when we can readily get up? Only we, ourselves, can know. It pays to be honest.

Whatever the discord we can know this: the next day comes.

The Inevitability of the Next Day

What we need to know, having at the front of our minds, is the inevitability of time; the next day comes, and the next, and so on.

Knowing this is not so much about depressing us further, as it’s compelling us to plan in consideration of this thing called ‘days’. Only we can decide whether it is best to push on or rest.

Another thing that ties with the inevitability of the next day is the fact that change occurs; it may occur slower than we like, but it surely occurs. This nemesis won’t remain, especially if we are prepared to do something about it—either push on or rest.

Just knowing the next day comes can help us hope past any present despair. The day that’s arrived is either a cushion or a platform. The next day will present the same way: as an opportunity.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.