Go, take a shower

It's quite common for us to feel low at times. At times nothing seems to go right. If there is one thing that pulls us through and gives us the power to rise above the mundane, then it's hope. Is hope a thing, a feeling or a state of mind? It could be anything that makes us believe 'Yes, now I can pull through on my own'

The following story, yet another great gift from attitude is everything, touchingly tells us of that "Ah ha" moment. I wish we all have more such moments!

Some few years ago I was attending a local university, the University of Botswana. Because I was living on campus, every evening I would go jogging to keep fresh and myself fit. There was a park behind the university and this was a perfect place for an evening jog.

As it sometimes happens in our lives, either triggered by an event or just comes from nowhere, it came at a time when I was just tired. I was tired of my faith, tired of studying, tired of my life and just tired of almost everything. Normally when in this state, we as human beings like finding more reasons to stay in this state, and wisdom tells me that this is the worst time to make any major decision. If you are used to praying it becomes difficult to pray, to read scriptures, life looks hopeless.

One winter day, this "hopeless" day came. On that day I did not even want to take a jog as usual. But late at night I just decided to go. It was dark and dangerous to do so. I started putting on my jogging gear with an "I don't care what happens" attitude. I jogged, and came back to the hostels, safe and sound, but still psychologically and spiritually empty. I went straight to the hostel bathrooms to take a shower.

As if what I was going through that day was not enough, the water was very cold. "I don't care I will just shower" I concluded, and I jumped in. The chilling water ran through my body; imagine the combination of cold body with mental vacuum. The more the water hit my body, sadness and despair accelerated.

Suddenly, the temperature of the water started changing. It became lukewarm, and then warm and suddenly I had to turn on cold water to keep a reasonable bathing temperature. Amazingly, as the water temperature changed, something started changing in me as well. There was hope where there was hopelessness, happiness and a sense of purpose was restored in me. The desperation, loneliness and all bad thoughts started disappearing as if they were flushed down the drain by the warm shower. I started singing! I learned right then in life that God can use anything to restore us to a place of freshness and purpose.

So if you are going through a rough time; just know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Just take a shower!

AUTHOR: Simon Ramaabya from Botswana, Africa
simon.ramaabya@Orange.co.bw