First Baptist Church of Herndon

Easy to Abandon

Linda Soller | Sep 13, 2021

We had been blessed with unseasonably cool clear weather and a holiday from work!  The circumstances led me to journey out for an early morning walk in the neighborhood. It was the perfect time really, just after the dog walkers and just before the late sleepers emerged. No cars were rushing by, no buses, no trash trucks. The air was damp from showers the day before. The birds were particularly chatty. I had missed my walks. They had helped with the stress and isolation of the earlier days of the pandemic. But with the heat of summer and my return to the office part time I had found it all too easy to abandon my walks. Now with the crisp air and quiet road, I found myself wondering why we so quickly abandon things that are good for us but struggle to give up the not so good things. 

Too often we forget to eat well, exercise, get enough sleep, check on our family/friends/neighbors, and well you get my point. These things drop off our “to do” list so easily. But ask us to stop eating potato chips, stop sitting in front of the TV for hours, stop shopping online for things we don’t really need, and we struggle. I may be speaking of my own personal bad habits, but I’m guessing you have a few examples of your own. And no, I don’t have an answer to this dilemma. I feel like we are all slaves to our own set of bad behaviors. Some of them are not bad in and of themselves, it’s the impact they have on our ability to do the good things we should be doing that makes them harmful. If only it were easy to abandon our bad habits and attitudes.

I looked up the street and there two women were strolling (slower than my walking) deep in conversation as they viewed a neighbor’s garden. I see them on a stroll often when I am in my car. They smile and wave. I wave back. I hope they never find it easy to abandon their strolls. I’m sure they are good for them and seeing them warms my heart.

Be the difference in the world! :o)