Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Write an INSPIRATIONAL article (11/27/14)
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TITLE: Give It Up and Follow Me | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jennifer Champion
12/03/14 -
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ADD TO MY FAVORITES
“Come on in.” I yell to her.
She obliges me and enters the foyer with a frantic look on her face.
“Why are you on the floor? Are you okay? Did you fall? Are you having a heart attack? Oh, you are too young to have a heart attack but then again your Aunt Sara on my mother’s side had one at an early age. It’s all that take out you eat.” In the midst of her semi-sermon on my eating habits, she attempts to pick me up off the floor. I do not budge.
“Mom, I am fine. Have a seat.” I pat the cool wooden slats of the floor next to me.
“Where is all your stuff? Oh! You were robbed weren’t you? Have you called the police? Are you hurt? How many were there?” She looks around my sparse room and clutches her handbag as if some masked man is just around the corner.
“I gave it away. Here, have a seat.” Again, I pat the floor.
“What do you mean you gave it away? Why didn’t you answer your phone when I called? I even had your brother text you and you did not reply. Stop patting the floor! You know if I get down there, I won’t get back up. I’ll sit on this chair since it is about all you have left. Are you daft?” Her worry is now turning to typical sarcasm. She is in full mom-mode now.
“I turned my phone off, Mom. I also turned off my internet and cable television.” As I am attempting to explain to my mom about the life altering changes I have made while still in a lying down state on my floor, the doorbell rings again.
“Come in.” This time, the concerned citizen is my dearest friend, Gigi.
She stops mid-way and looks at my mom sitting in her chair and me on the floor spread out like a snow angel, “What is going on? I’ve tried calling you fifteen times today.”
I sit up and stretch. Both of them are glaring at me with such a bewildered expression that it almost makes me laugh out loud.
“Have a seat next to Mom and I’ll tell you. I woke up this morning to the sound of my cell phone beeping with notifications of emails, text messages and breaking news. After clearing it all from my phone, I made coffee and sat down at the computer like I do every morning. My internet was slow and frustrated me so I called my service provider and was put on hold for twenty minutes. I decided to watch television but all that was on was filth so I turned it off. Then, as I sat here on my couch, I noticed my bible. It was dusty and made me wonder about the last time I actually read it. I wiped it off and opened it. I came to the story where Jesus came up on the shore and told the men to leave their boats and nets and follow him. It got me to thinking about how complicated and frustrating my life has become so I did just that; I gave it up to follow him. I am simplifying my life in a radical way and it feels great.” I sit there and let what I said simmer for a while.
“Ok, so you are telling us that you do not have a phone, internet, or TV and that you have given away most of your possessions so that you can sit and read the bible and live in the Dark Age?” I can always depend on mom to be supportive.
“Instead of putting my time and energy on meaningless things, I am going to focus on developing deeper relationships with people and helping others. Yes, I’ll be reading the bible much more too. I need to do this. I hope you understand.”
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Thanks for this thought-provoking article.