In my book, “The Story She Had to Tell”, the older Madeleine describes her life philosophy, “rise above.” I literally coined that phrase as I was writing it. Then I started thinking about it, and today I practice it. What does it mean? If you are having a “bad” day (put in quotation marks because “bad” is in the eye of the beholder. So is “good”, by the way.) as I was the other day, I started to feel depressed about it. If I allow myself the luxury of a pity party, things can go downhill fast. I don’t want that to happen. I don’t like feeling that way.
Believe it or not, some people enjoy being depressed or playing the victim. It sounds counter intuitive, but I have personally known people who insist on their right to be miserable. Count me out!
Back to the topic at hand, rising above. In the book, Madeleine is lamenting over getting old. (I can relate.) She tells herself to “rise above”. It means to step out of your human condition, go into the clouds and focus on God.
If what is bothering you is really serious, and something over which you have no control, by all means give it to God. That is not the kind of thing I am talking about here. If it is silly human stuff that will probably change by tomorrow, then rise above it. One way I do that is to listen to some great Christian music I have recently been introduced to. It takes me out of my human problems and into the rarefied air, where such earthly matters are of little importance. The word “perspective” comes to mind, which I have talked about before. “Perspective – use it or lose it!”
Try it on something simple, a petty situation that gets under your skin and threatens to ruin an otherwise perfectly good day. “Rise above”. Go up into the clouds and visit God. I promise, that when you come back down to earth, you’ll wonder why you even cared about something so silly. Most of it is silly, and not worth your time or attention. Remember what is important in your life, what gives it meaning. That is time well spent. And then say “thank you”.