Holidays and stress always seemed to be connected. Last night there was a choice of locations for dinner. One option was in a remote location in Singapore where people that love to ride often gather. It is quiet, away from the crowds, and has a view of distance lands. The other was on the street Singapore always decorates for the season.
We choose the former. As we came back by the second choice, the bright lights, crowds filling the streets and shops as far as the eye could see, and police reminded me that I was very happy with our choice. The idea of letting myself be buried in crowds during the holiday season was not on my priority list. The hustle and noise would have been interesting for a few minutes at best. The idea that I would willingly spend my evening in it was beyond anything I could imagine. It was a living nightmare that I could see before my eyes! Music, noise, and confusion dominated everything.
Even as I shut my eyes and remember the bright lights, pulsating crowds, and watching eyes of those there to protect everyone, I feel the contrast in the words of an old writer. “Relax, everything’s going to be all right; rest, everything’s coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way!” (Jude 1.2)
As I slowly let myself awake into a new day, I hear the wind whistling and howling. It is an unusual sound for Singapore. While it is a tropical wind without rain for the moment, it reminds one’s heart that there are dangerous things outside that can hurt. In every moment we have a choice. Sometimes the context is one that we were able to influence. Sitting on the edge of the causeway looking across to Malaysia was one that brought peace filled projections. On many occasions, life silently invades the corners of our souls. We wrestle with fears and uncertainties, struggling to hold Hope close.
The choice of the moment is ours. Our freedom is an opportunity to make a positive difference.
