“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” ~Marcus Aurelius

I have an antagonist in my life.  It is someone I have known closely for many years and someone who seems to thrive on pushing my buttons.  Typically I am an easy-going guy and I have put up with the antagonism with varying degrees of success for a long time.  Now, I’m just tired of it.

The most recent antagonistic choices affect my children.  Maybe that’s when the largest bowl of forgiveness should be poured out but I am ready to stand and fight.  I feel a line has been drawn in the sand and it is either stand up or put up with this for years to come.

A counselor once explained “righteous anger” to me.  He said righteous anger is what we feel when we know we are being abused or accused wrongly.  He talked about Jesus’ righteous anger and God’s righteous anger.  He let me know it was OK to fight for what is right.

I can take a lot of punches but if you punch one of my kids, well, the righteous anger comes quickly.  My children are being told lies and led to believe something that isn’t completely true.  It’s time they know the whole truth.

I have often found in my life that my greatest growth comes with some of the worst pain.  I do not ever want my children to feel pain but it may come at a price of not allowing them to grow either.

As I walk this road of learning to live fully and freely, I must also accept that it isn’t all sunshine, sandy beaches and rose strewn pathways.  It is a privilege to be alive and I have much to live for.  A VSW who is now my fiancee and will soon be my wife.  Great kids.  Great friends.  Great hope.  Living fully and freely also means I need to face some difficulties head on and quit trying to always make it easy for me and others.

It is a privilege to breathe, to think, to enjoy and to love.  I will strive to do it better and better each day, even when righteous anger may cause me to deal with the more unsavory things of this world.  However, dealing with them and moving on leads right back to breathing, thinking, enjoying and loving.  That’s where I am headed.  I’m headed there today.

Grace and peace.