What would you like to do to make things better?

“When people have success at a young age, a lot of times it’s too much. It’s much more than people imagine, and they get out of touch with their own base; the basis of who they are or if they haven’t developed yet into who they are. And success doesn’t allow you to develop; success gives you everything you ask for. So being a celebrity at a young or early age is dangerous.” Michael Bolton.

But thanks to God who has provided a way of escape from such disadvantageous trend because the Word of God says that the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2.

The positive side of Escapism

Thousands of years of civilization and human creation reveal the dazzling beauty in Architecture, technology, literature and many other inventions that have made life more comfortable and interesting. Were it not for the escapist that is Leonardo da Vinci, what would we queue up to admire at the Louvre? Or if Shakespeare hadn’t taken solace in his sonnets, what words of literature would astound us with such power? If it weren’t for the eternal escapists amongst us, wouldn’t life have been boring?

After 40 days on the mountain, Moses came to the Israelites with the tablets containing the principles for living popularly known as the 10 commandments. Jesus deliberately went on the mountain alone in order to do what escapist do: pray, meditate; think on the Word of God for rejuvenation. Matthew 8:1. Isaac was a practitioner of this phenomenon so much so that on his way back from the field of escapism, he met his bride in Genesis 24:63.

When the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse could be inevitable as observed in the negative connotations of escapism especially considering some forms of escape that are less than creative – substance abuse, sexual diversion, inability/inexperience to cope with life. In this age that life throws some curveballs and expects you to react faster and everyone and their dogs demand undivided attention, a balanced dose of escapism is required to deal with whatever confronts you.

First there is the need to appreciate the fact that you were derived from a source much greater than yourself – God. And so it makes sense that the greatest of all commandments according to Jesus is to love God with all thy heart, soul and mind. Matthew 22:36-39. So the best escapism would be to fall in love with Him (your source) over and over again. Fall right into His arms abiding under His mighty shadows. Psalm 91:1. What becomes of a man who delights himself in the Lord according to psalm 1: 2-3 is enviable. It is really about having a day and night affair with Him. Joshua 1:8.

The second commandment however gives us the right to take care of ourselves like the first. It says: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

These are two human needs of the spirit that must be met; to grow more and give more.

Since private success precedes public success, you can engage any positive escapism that you are most comfortable with as an outlet for your stress. Filter your stress in your own unique, creative, exciting and rejuvenating ways. Activities as simple as walking the dog, playing a sport, renting a movie, writing in a journal, shopping, swimming, learning a new language, taking a holiday, switching off your phone, hitting the gym, writing and putting aside time to read a nice magazine like the Wholesome Vista Magazine (visit www.wholesomevista.com.ng), to achieve the goal of keeping negative stress at a minimum in your life are laudable.