"I need air"

Was thinking this morning about a process I am going through right now.  I got a funny visual, but quickly realized that it wasn’t so much funny as it is the truth…a truth that, sadly, a lot of us don’t recognize until it may be too late. 

 The visual I got was of a small child with a favorite stuffed animal or their first pet (cat, dog, hamster, etc.).  A small child will carry that beloved little creature around and often around the neck with the creature’s little body just dangling.  When most adults see this image, they laugh and tend to have conversations about what they think that creature might be thinking to itself.  Well, that relationship between that little creature and the child can be compared to that of adult relationships.  Sometimes, as adults, we get great friends and get so excited about it that we hold on for dear life.  Then, when there seems the slightest possibility of that going away, we squeeze a little tighter and hold on even stronger.  In doing that, instead of holding on to that relationship we end up actually strangling the very ones we are trying desperately to hold on to.  Is it an intentional strangulation?!  Not at all; but it doesn’t make it any less real.  Reality is, when we feel someone slipping away, the best thing we can do is to talk out the issue and then back away (even just a step) so that we can let them up for air.  This isn’t an easy task, but if we truly want that beloved relationship to not die…we MUST let it up for air.  Yes, you can still say “hi” and even give a quick and cordial hug, but leave it at that!   Over time, you will each your breath and be able to move forward again; hopefully remembering to let each other come up for air every now and then! 

I know that I am learning this lesson and nearly at the cost of strangling those dearest to me.  Is it an easy process to come through it?!  No, but when the options are to strangle the one you love or let them up for air…ALWAYS go for letting them up for air!