Who do you run to when life gets crazy? Do you tun inward to your own understanding and measure the world through your own paradigms? Do you listen to others around you and adapt their paradigms? Do you let someone determine for you what you will believe and who you will be? Recently, I learned of the Great Resignation that took place in February 2022, 4.4 million individuals leaving their jobs. Was this a planned mass exodus where, like sheep, the masses followed the leaders over a cliff, only to learn later the leaders did not take the leap? In so many ways, are you waking up to the double standards of those who are saying one thing and doing another? How does this reconcile with your sense of personal identity (truth) versus their expectations that you blindly follow without question or even noticing the disparity of their actions and words that translate to, "Do as I say, not as I do"? When you learn you have been deceived, who do you run to for comfort, clarity, and compassion?
When people run to therapy, I offer them the opportunity to be who they want to be and who they believe they are meant to be. When you lean on others to take care of you, you may learn they are more concerned about their own needs than yours. This "blind trust" leaves you vulnerable to the manipulations of another. When someone puts you out in front of their cause, they are standing behind you and are no longer leading you. They remain protected because you become the center of attention. They tell you to get excited, then step back as you step into their purpose and not one of your own making. You become responsible for the consequences of others if your cause is later found to be wrong. The ones who manipulated you are not affected by the consequences as you are their shield of protection. When you stop following the causes of others and know your own purpose, if you are wrong, you only end up deceiving yourself. Who do you run to then?
The lyrics from Lady Antebellum's 2017 album, "I run to you," has been playing in my mind for a couple of days. In the song they repeat the words that are very applicable to today, "This world keeps spinning faster, into a new disaster, so I run to you." Everyone, even therapists, are struggling with the challenges that are facing us with civil unrest, lingering Corona-Virus, and trying to return to a resemblance of "normal" in times that are definitely not normal. Where is your place of safety? Are you running away from perceived or real dangers of the world? Have you found that you are issuing your own "stay home orders" even as America is struggling to slowly open back up? Music brings peace. The loving words of a hymn, the soft rhythm that causes us to say, the words of encouragement that we can embrace may be easily found. I pray that this song brings you calm and peace, as much as it does me.
I run from hate
I run from prejudice
I run from pessimists
But I run too late
I run my life
Or is it running me?
Run from my past
I run too fast
Or too slow it seems
When lies become the truth
That's when I run to you
This world keeps spinning faster
Into a new disaster so I run to you
I run to you, baby
And when it all starts coming undone
Baby you're the only one I run to
I run to you
We run on fumes
Your life and mine
Like the sands of time
Slippin' right on through
And our love's the only truth
That's why I run to you
This world keeps spinning faster
Into a new disaster so I run to you
I run to you, baby
When it all starts coming undone
Baby you're the only one I run to
I run to you
Whoa oh
Oh I run to you
This world keeps spinning faster
Into a new disaster so I run to you
I run to you baby
And when it all starts coming undone
Baby you're the only one I run to
I run to you, I run to you yeah
Whoa whoa
Oh I run to you,
I run to you girl
Whoa whoa
I always run to you
Run to you
Run to you