An Iceberg Perspective

A common quote that people say when referring to something deeper in substance or meaning is “That’s just the tip of the iceberg”. In life I feel there are so many things which cannot be truly understood with a surface level of understanding. Just like it is not by chance that children of divorced parents have a substantially higher rate of divorce… in life, things just don’t happen.

“If you are not seeking knowledge, you are condoning ignorance” – Jason Perry 

And, let me first say this before I write anything further… many of the blogs I write are simply written with the sole purpose of allowing me to freely express my feelings. However, I’m not writing this blog to ramble or vent out thoughts that randomly flow through my mind. I really hope that if you continue reading, something in this can actually help you in some way, or encourage you to look at a situation with a different perspective.

Alright, so my life in the past few days has been a little crazy. It’s not like the world is falling apart. But, dealing with issues that I face at my job, added to constant issues with my family, and all the other routine issues that come with being an adult… all of which has caused me to experience certain levels or anxiety and stress, and emotional anguish.

The interesting part is that I knew that my lack of sleep was taking a toll on my mind and body. Because, I felt mentally drained from taking on new responsibilities at work, and emotionally drained from arguments and drama at home (but, I’m not going to go into that 🙂 ). But, I didn’t know how much of a toll all of this had on me until after I got off of work today.

So, I get into my car and spend a few minutes talking on the phone with friends and co-workers while on my way to my cousin’s house. up until that point, it seemed like just another Friday. I even planned on maybe even going to a conference at my church. But, as soon as I got to my cousin’s house and sat on the couch… my body just stopped. And, honestly when I came to, I opened my eyes to look on my phone and saw that it was almost midnight. I realized that I was sleep for maybe 6 hours!

My body was trying to tell me what it needed all week, but I wasn’t listening. And, after work today, it eventually just took what it needed.

What I experienced today was just an example of a life principle. Just like, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. There are consequences or repercussions for every neglected responsibility. 

People often feel like, “Hey, I can do whatever I want, whenever I want… I’m an adult.” Or, some may feel… “Why do I have to listen to your wisdom or opinion, I don’t need anyone to tell me what to do.” But, the issue is… that most people often make life decisions based upon a surface level perspective. They can only see the “tip of the iceberg”. And remember, when you choose to disregard instruction, you are also choosing to accept the consequences of your actions.

I guarantee you that most people don’t want to make bad decisions. If the captain of the Titanic could see the true mass of the iceberg underwater that his ship hit, he would have taken a different course beforehand. If I knew that my body would shut down for 6 hours after work due to lack of rest and stress, I would’ve either went straight home or planned on getting more rest earlier in the week.

So… what are you neglecting in your life?

Are you neglecting your bodily health, by eating unhealthy? Are you neglecting your mind and spirit, by not reading your Bible or listening to encouraging messages? Are you neglecting your relationships, by not spending quality time with your family and friends?

You can never exactly know how the things you neglect will affect your future. One of my friends recently had to leave her job due to issues with her back that she didn’t expect. No one knows the future, that’s why it’s important to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Get an iceberg perspective by not just looking at life through a lens that only sees the surface level. And, always remember, no matter where you are at in life… it’s never too late to change.