Why'd You Have To Go And Make Things So Complicated?

There are a few absolute sure things in this life. 1) Life is unpredictable. 2) Life is out of our control. 3) Life comes to an end for all of us. Morbid? Maybe. But those absolutes are also what have made me start to focus my time, energy, and attention on what is actually important ... Faith, Family, and Friends. It's about relationships, really. What really matters in life all boils down to our relationship with God and our relationships with those closest to us.

It's simple yet sometimes I feel like it is somewhat too simple. So simple that people choose to complicate it so as to make it more exciting, or something... I am starting to think that there are a whole lot of people in this world who do not enjoy letting life be simple; they like to complicate things a heck of a lot. Life does not need to be that complicated or drama-filled people! 

Now, hearing me say that may surprise some people who have known me for a long time considering that I was voted "Most Dramatic" my senior year of high school. But that was HIGH SCHOOL for goodness sake. High school is the one place I think will never be rid of complication and drama. After all, simplifying life is something that really has to be learned over time and with age. Over the past 10 years in particular, with the things that life has thrown my way as well as with the help of my even keeled husband, I have begun to learn how important it is to stop over-analyzing what other people do or say and to realize that people are by definition flawed and never going to be exactly how I want them to be.

But I want to take it a step further. In order to truly un-complicate and un-dramatize life, I have realized that I have to be willing to allow flawed people be in relationship with me. Why? Because - news flash - I'M FLAWED TOO! God ordained life to be all about flawed people being in relationship with each other, and through that He shows us His deep love for us and His desire to be in relationship with us despite all of our flaws. God doesn't complicate His desire to be in relationship with us. Why do we complicate our relationships with others? We're just people, and all we really want deep down is for others to spend time with us, like us, and relate to us.

So how does this all tie into life being unpredictable, out of our control, and eventually ending? Simple really. Our family and friends could be gone at any time, at a moment's notice, or with no notice at all. Morbid? Again, maybe. But do you want to spend the time you have with your family and friends being complicated and dramatic, over analyzing what they do or say, and holding on to things they do imperfectly? Or do you want to spend the time you have with them just enjoying who they are and who you are when you are with them, making memories when life is joyous and exciting, and being there for each other when the unpredictable and out of control things of this life rear their ugly heads? I don't know about you, but I choose the latter. I'm not always perfect at living simply and steering clear of drama and not over-complicating relationships. But I am going to keep trying because my faith, my family, and my friends are worth it.