Kayaking always looked like so much fun so on our river adventure I just had to give it a try. My brother-in-law was an expert kayaker and was going to instruct me. As I said in my previous post on Monday I was the comic relief and this was the icing on the cake.
Roll mental camera…
As we walked to the river with kayak in tow I asked him if this kayak would fit a guy of 6’5”, to which he replied “no problem.” I hop in and snap on the wetsuit like cover, called a spraydeck, over the opening. He tells me if I flip upside down and can’t turn back over just pull the cords on the spraydeck and I will pop right out. He was holding the front of the Kayak letting me get the hang of balancing. He had me roll over on purpose and told me to use the paddle to push off the bottom. This worked like a charm and I popped right back up. I was ready… so I thought
He lets me go and not 20 feet into the river and I lose my balance and over I go. But when I stab my paddle at the riverbed it doesn’t hit bottom. The river had gotten deep fast and so I popped the spraydeck and… NOTHING. My hips were stuck like glue inside this thing. Sardine anyone!
Luckily I was tall enough that I could lean back and get my lips out of the water just enough to breathe. I yelled “I’m stuck”, to which I heard nothing but laughter. “No really”, more laughter. With each breath I yelled louder. “This isn’t funny”, more laughter… “I’m going to kick”(went under), more laughter. “You dirty stinking”(under again), more laughter. “When I get out of this…” They thought I was just being funny they had no idea I was really in trouble. It wasn’t until they saw the boat going under and me not coming up to breathe that they came to help.
There are probably a ton of people I talk to everyday that all I hear them say is “I’m fine” or “everything is great,” When really they are saying “HELP ME.” I think their joking nature is just for fun when in fact it is a cover for deep down hurt. I can’t see through the smoke screen. Too often I let people start to sink before I finally wake the heck up and realize they were screaming for help all along.
God grant me the vision to see the real need and not be blinded by the smoke!
Are you good at knowing when someone is in need even when everything they say is the opposite?
Did or do you act on it, knowing the other person my not be ready to accept the help?
Be honest, are you guilty of hearing “Everything is great” so you don’t have to get involved?
I was for too many years
9 comments:
ooooo...that's deep. I like it!!!
Because of where I've been I see through alot of the smoke, probably too often, and feel the need to help everyone... but it's not always the most beneficial thing to do. I know I've missed it plenty and it wasn't till another person wasn't coming up for air that I got it. Now I think I hold on trying to help people balance far too long.
When someone says "I"m fine", I'm one of those people who doesn't believe them. So I go after them. But that's just me.
I think I catch myself taking the "I'm fine" far too often, mainly because of my own selfishness, I'm too busy for this right now, I really don't want to get in to this, etc. I think just about anyone that says they are "fine" more than likely is not, I find that more often than not, when people are fine, they love to tell you just what makes them so "fine". When someone says they are fine, chances are, like you say, there is an underlying issue there to some extent, big or small. However, it is hard to even give someone the assistance they might need, if they will not allow you to......scream help here_____!!!
I tend to know right away and jump on it. But that's the problem, i jump to fast and that tends to make me little "motherly". So, this year, I've stepped back, bit my tongue, wrapped my arms around my waist, pulled my hair, ... until they are almost most drowning and then I jump in. :)
"I'm fine" is a red flag. Sometimes I'll ask "Are you really?" other times I can be guilty of saying "Great!" and get on with my life.
Yeah, I'm pretty quick to jump on the "I'm fine" line too. As I get to know a person better, I know what it really means.
The problem I have is knowing how to REALLY help them...a lot of times their issues are more than I feel qualified to help them in. So I pray.....A LOT!
Thanks for this great mental camera. I'm glad you made it back alive!
My friend gave FINE a new meaning. She says when people say they are fine the are really--
Freaked
Insecure
Neurotic
Emotional
Great post.
You're a great writer. I always enjoy your posts and your comments on other people's blogs.
Good analogy.
Funny how getting stuck in a kayak can make you think. Thanks for the comments
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