Traveling the Rock Road

Let me be straight forward, I love Facebook! I know all the problems there have been with this social media outlet, but it has given me opportunity to reconnect with friends and family, some I haven’t seen or heard from in years. I love to see where they’re at now, what they’ve done, how many children and grandchildren they have. I also enjoy new friends I have made and how we can interact as if we known each other for years. But I suppose what I love to the most is this gives me an avenue to tell about my Lord and Savior. As I say I’m not a religion man, but one of faith. And through that faith I have found something I believe is so wonderful, so awesome, that I just want to share it with others.

Now I not only talk about my Lord, but I love to brag on my family and post pictures of them. I also like putting something with a bit of light-heartedness and humor in it. My thinking is it brought a smile or chuckle to me, so maybe it’ll do the same for others. Once in a while I’ll come across something a bit philosophical in nature that touches me so I may post that as well. One such item was quite a surprise to me by the amount of reaction I had to it. It showed a picture of Eeyore, the constantly sad little donkey from HH Milne’s books Winnie the Pooh. The post points out that although Eeyore was always gloomy, or as the writer of this describes him, clinically depressed, his friends are always there for him. Even though they are aware of his Gloomy Gus persona, they never leave him out of their plans. The small article is summed up with these words, “They just show him love.” This little clip touched my heart because I know ones with “Eeyore Syndrome” so I posted it and wasn’t surprised when someone shared it and then another, and another. My surprise came when it was shared over 100 times. Then 200, 300, and now very close to 400 as I write.  So, then the question came, what is it that struck a nerve with so many? I imagine there’s numerous reasons why, some with the same purpose I had. But I also wondered, how many could relate to Eeyore, how many wished they had the support of friends as in this wonderfully mastered work of writing, but still fiction?

I read a quote that went like this; “When you’re surrounded by all these people, it can be lonelier than when you’re by yourself. You can be in a huge crowd, but if you don’t feel like you can trust anyone or talk to anybody, you feel like you’re really alone.” In this modern world we live in there seems to be a growing epidemic of depression, sadly I know of many. But one did tell me “I just wish more people would stop asking me how I’m doing and start asking me out to dinner or something. I think that would be a lot of help.”

As a Christian this tears at my heart because I know that my Lord does not want to see any of us in this situation. Psalm 34:17 “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.”  Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

So, I’m left to wonder that if all who profess Christ (since in my opinion we should be leading the charge anyway!) would reach out to our fellow “Traveler’s of the Rock Road” not with solutions, advice, or so-called answers to their problems, but with friendship, support, and most of all love, how many like Eeyore we could reach.

I think I’ll just leave it there for now, but end with a little prayer.

Lord, help us see and approach the Eeyores around us, and give us the heart of Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin. Amen.

See ya next time.