Stress

Stress is defined as “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.” It can be a result of something good (starting a new job, building a new home, getting married, having kids) or something not-so-good (work pressure, illness – yourself or a loved one, loss, financial strain). And, it is a part of life.

I have been under a lot of stress lately.

After several incidences at daycare, we have decided to take my oldest child out of his current school. While this seems like an easy decision, it is very hard on all of us. He has been at his particular school since he was 4 months old. That’s almost 3 1/2 years of being in one place. Also, his best friend (since his first day of school) is still there. He is distraught. I am distraught. And, I am extremely stressed about the situation as a whole. This is definitely an “adverse circumstance” that has caused me mental (and emotional) strain that has caused me to lose sleep and worry nonstop.

But as I mentioned, not all stress is negative.

This morning I was in church watching my husband volunteer to help hand out communion and I felt so much pride. I was so proud that he felt called upon to step up and become a part of something that is new to us. (We are generally silent bystanders at a traditional service, but the last two weeks, we have visited a contemporary service with a whole new approach.) While I watched him up there, I realized that sometimes we feel stress because we need to reach out beyond our comfort zone. Sometimes stress is demanding new circumstances from us.

Deep in my soul, I desire to be a couple who is active in our church. I want my husband to be a strong spiritual leader for our family who can teach our boys how important it is to be a part of our church. When my husband stepped up in front of the congregation today, it allowed me to breathe a little easier. I had not realized the importance of the stress that had been weighing me down until I felt the air release from my lungs.

Stress. It’s a word with such a negative connotation, but we don’t always need to focus on the bad. Sometimes, stress can help us become something stronger. I mean, a diamond is just a piece of coal until it is put under extreme stress.