Stress & Co. vs Truth & Joy

Stress in one corner.  I, Joy, am in the other. Joy was the name given me when I met my best friend, Truth. 

Why do I so often feel I’m boxing a match in Life’s ring? Why am I constantly battling Stress? Or am I battling myself –Joy? I’m probably over-thinking again. Oh, boy, I’d better pay attention.  

Left uppercut to the jaw. Enough to make my head spin throwing me to my knees. Around and around…my world feels like it’s reeling out of control. People, events, and calendar deadlines close in. The only option is to stay down. 

Yes….sleep…escape. Lie down…yes…just close my eyes for a minute…

6….5….4… The countdown. 

Wait a minute! I’m not ready to concede this match! Stress will NOT take the victory this time.  C’mon, Joy. C’mon, Joy! Get up! Don’t let Stress win! The world revolves like an amusement park ride. Dizziness engulfs my vision with a headlock making every effort to stand futile. 

Hang on; I didn’t know this was a “tag team” match! 

3...2…

At last, I manage to find my feet. “I’m up, I’m up!”

Looking around for help, I spot Busyness on my side of the ring reaching for my hand. For a long moment, Busyness and I lock eyes. I recognize him, but he seems out of place. Just then, an illegal kick from behind, thrusting me towards Busyness lands me face-to-the-floor at his feet. His enticing smile lures me to reach for his hand.

“STOP!”

It was the voice of Truth. “Truth, where are you?!” With my hand still reaching toward Busyness, I spot Truth in the corner stretching for me to tag Him in. 

Good ol’ Truth! He’s always closer than I give Him credit. To the horror of Busyness, whose enticing smile changed his appearance from “savior” to “enemy,” Truth shoves him from the ropes encircling the ring. 

“Truth, can’t you just come a little closer to me?” He already had. Now I need to embrace Him.

 Stress, I’ve noticed is cheating, as usual. With several partners, he’s relying on this win. Stress’s overconfident laugh mocks my confusion. Dizziness tries to grip tighter to show off his strength, but he’s loses hold on his headlock. Pressure and Overwhelming Paralysis are screaming from outside of the ring, threatening to gang up and stamp out Joy, every last fiber of my being. I look at my opponent, who now stands over me. Stress never left the ring when Dizziness was tagged in.  I shouldn’t be surprised he’s not playing fair. His face contorts with vicious animosity.

“Truuuuth!”

In a fraction of a second, all strong holds are broken as a warm hand pulls me from the pit of that ring. Just in time, too. All Stress’s players jump into the ring those last few seconds. Truth leaps into the middle of the pandemonium as Mercy and Grace nurse my cuts, bruises, and brokenness. 

Within seconds, the enemy and all his players fall unconscious on the floor, and Life announces the winner for all to hear and see. I can tell you definitively, I didn’t win this fight alone! In fact, I credit the strength of Truth for every win.   

Truth wins again!

Then I notice something else. As Life holds Truth up for the world to see, Life winks at Truth, as though they were old friends going back to the beginning of time.