Don't Worry Your Life Away

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Have you ever seen pure worry in action? We recently introduced our kids to Steven Spielberg's classic film, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, forgetting how stressful the movie is for a kid.

I hadn't seen the flick in a couple of decades, and I'd forgotten the anxiety-inducing effects of the story.  From the initial search for ET, to Gertie's terrified scream (played by Drew Barrymore when she was 5),  to the final chase scene, the stress is constant.

Don't believe me? Try watching this movies with an 9 and 10-year-old, then you'll see.

My kids were a giant ball of nerves.  They asked a thousand questions and couldn't really relax until (spoiler alert) ET found his way home.

But kids under film duress aren't the only worriers I know. I also see worry play out in the "grown up" world.

I see moms worry about "life balance" (whatever that means!), dads worry about everything mechanical (or is that just our family dynamic?), and kids worrying about whether or not a decision is "fair."  There are hosts of us worrying about money, food-dye, jobs, healthcare.gov, global warming, and whether or not their privacy settings on their social media sites is adequate.

Some worries are big, and some less so, but they all add up to something wholly unhealthy.

Life is, admittedly, difficult on many fronts, but worry steals our ability to enjoy the beauty of today.  It robs our "now" for a future "maybe."

I've always loved Corrie ten Boom's quote,

“Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength - carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”

What's pressing down on your heart and mind today?

In what ways are you depriving today of its strength?