Written by Kristin Orphan,
kristin@finallyhomefoundation.net
If you have ever seen someone skateboard in a half pipe, you know that they roll back and forth to pick up momentum and speed in order to make it to the edge. With each pass, they go a little higher up the wall, until finally they reach the top.
This image reminds me of my kids’ growing up process, particularly, the ones who are healing from a traumatic past. I used to let “back-slides” in behavior and habits discourage me. After all, we had worked so hard to get to a certain point, only to watch the child regress. I wondered if we would ever completely get past it.
As the years pass, I have started recognize a pattern. While we do our share of “two steps forward and one step back,” we ARE moving forward! When a goal is met or a hurt is overcome, even if we dip back a bit, the next time we work through the challenge, forward progress comes much easier. It is almost like they are dipping their toes in the new territory and heading back to the comfort zone, before forging ahead for good.
When you feel discouraged by the season you are in, take some time to look back and see how far you’ve come. Some day you and I will get to the top and oh, the celebratory flips we’ll do!!
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