Blogger Prompt: Obstacle Course

Life has sometimes been likened to an obstacle course. Those who haven’t truly experienced life yet may not really understand this, but when you think about it, it has a lot of truth to it. Life really is an obstacle course, full of pitfalls, traps, and of course, obstacles. Think about it. You’re strolling along, not a care in the world, and then.. here, have a hurdle..JUMP! Whew, you managed to clear that one. But oh, the course is just beginning, isn’t it? No obstacle course would be complete without pits, and traps, and seemingly impossible situations. No obstacle course would be finished without razor wire to crawl under, people dresses as zombies chasing you, or a sense of urgency pressing you forward.

You see, life IS an obstacle course. Sure, there may not be actual razor wire. There may not be zombies. But there ARE obstacles. Every one of us has them. In all of our lives are hurdles. Things that we have to face, and overcome. And much like regular obstacle courses, life tends to throw these things in our paths when we least expect them, or when we seem to be least equipped to handle them.

But, what are the options, really? Honestly, there are only two options in any situation: deal, or no deal (like the TV game show). We either face our obstacles head on, or we run away. Yes, of course there is always that third option, the one in which we sort of slink toward the obstacle, hoping that it will somehow resolve itself before we actually have to jump. But when it comes down to it, when we reach that point in the course, the obstacle is still there, we still have to decide how to handle it, and we still have to either jump or give up. So really, that third option is just an illusion that our mind constructs to try to make us feel better, to try and make it seem as if we actually do have some sort of control.

So when you’re running your course, as you’re traveling through life, keep your eyes open for the obstacles that will inevitably come up. But don’t be afraid of them. Don’t slink toward them. Face them bravely..and jump!