Opportunity disguised as discomfort

by Michele Boy | March 14, 2024

On Tuesday morning I packed up my daughter and we headed east for Kansas City. The trip with stops took about seven hours. 
I managed to find and get behind every semi on two lane roads. 
The interstate got busier as we moved east. I was nervous because I haven’t driven in city traffic in years. I was uncomfortable. 
When we got to the hotel I had a few thoughts that came up. First, many years ago in another life, I wouldn’t take the subway to Brooklyn, about an hour, to see a friend because it was too far. But I didn’t bat an eye driving seven hours to take my daughter to an NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament game. Anyone else roll their eyes when someone on those looking for a new home shows only wants to see houses in a ten minute radius? 
Second, I remembered growing up on the east coast, I had been to tons of concerts and professional sporting events - NBA, NHL, NFL.
But nothing compared to the game on Tuesday evening watching my daughter’s face light up. 
We had hoped K-State would be in the championship but they lost in the semifinals. I wasn’t sure if she would enjoy it. But she did. She loved all of it. 
The third one struck me that I have no problem looking at someone else’s battle and thinking how easy it should be to climb that mountain. In truth getting uncomfortable is hard. Driving 75 miles an hour with big hills and plenty of traffic moving in and out of lanes was nerve wracking and also irritating because once upon a time this wasn’t an issue for me. 
So imagine the person battling depression, uprooting their life, their child moving away? What about the high school student who has never left Syracuse considering the military or college?
A friend recommended a podcast of a former SHS graduate recounting his journey from high school through college. He mentioned how the step of junior college first helped him transition easier to a four year school on the east coast. 
It struck me how making big moves can be difficult. Sometimes we try and fail and give up. But maybe we need to get comfortable being uncomfortable. 
I remember once hearing to get uncomfortable by trying two new things every day. As long as we are breathing there is opportunity to try new things and getting uncomfortable.  New can be exciting and exhilarating but the older I get the more set in my ways I become. And new becomes riskier. 
"Change requires leaving our comfort zones and plunging headfirst into uncomfortable situations. It's true this causes some pain and discomfort for a moment, but it's the quickest path to generating long-term fulfillment."- Yehuda Berg
I am reminded that everyone’s battle is not so easy. And to ease up on the judgment and pray for them. 
I am praying however you are spending your Spring Break, you find some joy, some peace, and some discomfort to help you grow. And maybe eyes to see it as an opportunity.