Liberation
Pass It Off!
A Forever Hero
A week or so ago I was watching a popular first responder show featuring firefighters. This particular firefighter heroically charged into a burning building filling with gas to retrieve a fellow fireman that had been overcome by smoke. As fate would have it, he made it out just in time before the building combusted into flames.
The hero accompanied his fellow firefighter to the hospital and sat in the waiting room anxious to hear if he survived. He sat there not noticing the blood dripping from his arm due to flying glass and debris from the building when it exploded. Soon a more experienced firefighter sat down next to him. The hero spoke of his concern for his fellow firefighter. The experienced firefighter looked him dead in the eyes and said, “Pass it off.”
The experienced firefighter went on to explain that he more than did his job. There’s not much more he could affect beyond what he had already done. It was time to pass off this injured firefighter to the next group of heroes who can serve him best. His job was done; it was time to move on. It was time to “Pass it Off.”
Too Big to Fill
That scene spoke loudly to me. It seems the responsibilities we impose on ourselves are expansive. Much like trying to wear a pair of pants that are five sizes too big. When you pull up the front, your backside is exposed. When you maneuver your hands to hold the front and back, the sides are exposed. It’s impossible to grow yourself to fit those parts. You weren’t meant to. There are very few people that do everything well. Still yet most people only do a few things well. The smartest people are those who have learned when to “Pass it Off”. They have grown past the need for the accolades of being lauded ‘a hero for saving the day’ every day. We can’t be everyone’s hero every time, even those closest to us. Especially those who have acquired an immunity to sound advice.
The “But” Dialogue
You: “But I’m trying to help! “
Me: “You’ve reached the extent of your (finances, good health, patience, emotional stability, good sense). Pass them off to those who are better able to help them go further than you can.”
You: “I still worry about them. They’re really close to me.”
Me: “Well, if you love them, leave them. Leave them to someone who can do a better job of speaking into their lives. Recall that saying ‘Familiarity breeds contempt’? It means sometimes those closest to you are most willing to take advantage of your concern for them.”
You: “They will feel like I am abandoning them.”
Me: “You are…but only so they can find their way. Right now, you are in the way by facilitating their perpetual need. Pass them off.”
You: “It’s so hard to do.”
Me: “So is childbirth. But after you see the results, you don’t remember the pain. Pass it off.”
You: “But it is almost expected of me.”
Me: “And you are expected to allow yourself to live beyond their moments of weakness to mold and enjoy a life of your own.”
You: “But…”
Me: “Pass it off.”
You: “Pass it…
Me: “…off. Yes, Pass it off.”
Super Hero Lives Here
Even Superman did not save everybody. And at times he couldn’t save himself.
So as not to be gender biased, Wonder Woman wasn’t always a wonder.
Sometimes we are so emotionally co-joined that we don’t notice we’re bleeding from the strain. Your life is bleeding, your existence is bleeding. You bleed over the innocent people around you because you’re not taking care of yourself. You’re so consumed with matters that are completely out of your control that you don’t notice your life slowly ebbing away.
Pass it Off
Recall the Samaritan man who happened across a man half dead in the road? A priest and a Levite had passed this injured man before he came upon him and they hurriedly continued on their way. This Samaritan man had compassion, bound his wounds and gathered him up and brought him to an inn. He gave the owner money to care for him and said if it costs more he would pay it when he returned. The Samaritan did the right thing but he also was on a journey. He stopped long enough to see that this man’s life was saved but he had a journey to complete. Luke 10:29-37
My point? Be the neighbor, the friend, the family member that Jesus speaks of in Luke 10. But don’t discard your journey for an incident that occurs during your journey. The incident requires momentary attention but should not replace your main focus. The Samaritan passed the task of caring for the wounded man to a person who could give the man the attention he needed. He passed it off.
You may feel guilt when you let go. Guilt is a learned response. In this instance, hit your reset button. All you need to know is that you gave it your best, like the firefighter…even to the point of putting your life on hold for them. If you can say you’ve done that…then walk, complete your journey. Shut down the voice of guilt and speak what you know to be true. Are you a trained counselor, a financial lending institution, a professional whatever? You’ve done your best with what you were equipped. Be at peace with that.
Finally, I’m telling you, it’s okay to take care of yourself. You’ll be someone’s hero again, some other day, just not today. “Pass it Off” by wearing your pants. They will fit better and you’ll feel better.
22 COMMENTS
I love this! By holding on – we are contributing to the problem by not allowing that person to have access to the help that they need.
Sometimes when we become enablers God will pass off to someone else what temporally throws us off balance. I’ve seen this in credit situations like when someone cutbacks on their credit card balances then a lender offers them more credit ? Is it something like being ready?
I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself? Plz reply back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know wheere u got this from. thanks
WordPress created the website for me.
Absolutely indited written content, thanks for entropy. “In the fight between you and the world, back the world.” by Frank Zappa.
I do love the manner in which you have presented this particular situation plus it really does offer us some fodder for thought. Nonetheless, coming from everything that I have witnessed, I basically trust as the opinions pack on that men and women continue to be on point and in no way get started upon a soap box associated with the news of the day. Yet, thank you for this exceptional point and while I can not concur with it in totality, I regard the standpoint.
This website can be a walk-through for all the info you wanted about this and didn抰 know who to ask. Glimpse here, and you抣l definitely discover it.
I really appreciate this post. I抳e been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You have made my day! Thank you again
Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed surfing around your blog posts. In any case I抣l be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again very soon!
Hello my friend! I wish to say that this article is
awesome, nice written and include almost all important infos.
I’d like to peer more posts like this .
I just couldn’t depart your website prior to suggesting that I really enjoyed the standard information a person provide for your visitors? Is gonna be back often to check up on new posts
The very core of your writing whilst appearing agreeable in the beginning, did not sit properly with me after some time. Somewhere within the sentences you were able to make me a believer but only for a very short while. I still have got a problem with your jumps in assumptions and one might do well to help fill in those gaps. When you actually can accomplish that, I would definitely be fascinated.
I?ve read some good stuff here. Definitely worth bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how much effort you put to make such a wonderful informative web site.
A lot!
Hello there, I found your site via Google while looking for a related topic, your web site came up, it looks great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
You could definitely see your enthusiasm in the work you write. The world hopes for even more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to say how they believe. Always go after your heart.
What?s Going down i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I have found It absolutely useful and it has aided me out loads. I am hoping to contribute & help other customers like its helped me. Good job.
Its such as you learn my mind! You appear to understand so much about this, like you wrote the guide in it or something. I feel that you simply could do with some p.c. to force the message home a little bit, however other than that, this is great blog. A fantastic read. I will certainly be back.
Thank you for sharing excellent informations. Your web site is very cool. I’m impressed by the details that you?ve on this website. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for extra articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found just the information I already searched all over the place and just couldn’t come across. What a perfect web site.
Greetings from Ohio! I’m bored to tears at work so I decided to browse your site on my iphone during lunch break. I love the knowledge you provide here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m amazed at how quick your blog loaded on my mobile .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, superb site!
Thanks for helping out, fantastic information.
There is visibly a bundle to realize about this. I assume you made some nice points in features also.