Restraint.

So, today I was home from work sick. Well, still working from home, but also resting and going to the dr. etc. Got some medicine YAY!

But, I am one of those people who has 2 modes: GO GO GO or STOP. And it is hard for me to do things in moderation. Like....if I am home sick, it is hard for me to just rest. I want to still clean the house, do laundry, paint the hallway, etc. If I am working from home while sick, and I get tired, it is hard for me to rest. To restrain from pushing it too hard. But today I did.

But....and here is the real point of this blog...when is restraint a bad thing? What about when the acquaintance whose grandma died needs a hug? What about when a new friend needs defending, needs to be told something that will make their heart rest assured that they are OK just as they are? When the kid you don't know doesn't have the 5 extra dollars to purchase the CD that just might change their life?

If we restrain from that hug because we are afraid of how it will be perceived, that person loses the empathy and care that comes from such an embrace. When we are afraid to take a stand for our friend who is being teased, we miss making their heart light and at peace knowing they are loved for exactly who they are. When we hold back, and think "no, my money is my own to spend on me", we miss the joy that comes from giving away and knowing we just had a part in changing a kids' life.

I don't ever want to restrain my heart. I can get hurt that way, but I would rather stay sensitive to the call to help others by having my heart broken, than to live in restraint of love and not change lives.