ESCAPE THE DRAMA

“I was just, Mike to them, a faithful friend. “

I recall my mother watching the soap opera “General Hospital” on a rare day off. Mom worked in a hospital, so I assume that’s the reason why. I was never one to watch soap operas, as I’d imagine most guys don’t—unless they’re closet viewers. Life has enough drama of its own without adding to it through television entertainment.

When my wife and I moved to Arizona, one of the main reasons was to escape the drama that was continually coming our way in Alaska, no fault of our own. Anchorage was rapidly deteriorating under leftist Democrat leadership, like so many big cities across the US. The time was ripe to move elsewhere.

Our Anchorage church had its own drama: primarily, competition for recognition among select members, and I believe most large churches still do. It’s a given that some people love the spotlight, but churches shouldn’t be a place to try to shine above others.

That didn’t keep us from going. It seems any large body of people has drama, such as PTA meetings, sports events, and even the Democratic National Convention. Drama, in a way, is purely human nature.

A few in our flock felt compelled to publicly proclaim they were doing well financially. For the most part, I could overlook this, since I was there for one reason—to soak up the message. Our pastor was good at preaching, so the distractions were overcome.

The friends I had and still do never flaunted their excesses, although most, if not all, did much better than we did. I was just, Mike to them, a faithful friend. Competition amongst the stuff we owned or were still paying for never entered the picture. It was all junk to me and still is. None of us takes our worldly treasures to Heaven.

There was no trying to outdo the Joneses in my life format, taking what came to Joleen and me with gratitude, no matter what it was. There were many times we made do with others’ discarded things. I was pretty good at fixing broken items that people tossed away, a bicycle comes to mind.

Drama in someone’s life typically refers to situations filled with heightened emotions, conflicts, or unexpected events that cause stress or excitement. It can involve arguments, misunderstandings, or challenges that disrupt normal routines and require attention or resolution.

Sometimes, drama arises from interactions with others, while at other times, it stems from personal struggles or circumstances. Some automatically attempt to lasso others into their drama. It’s best to steer clear here or totally escape the surroundings.

The Bible advocates for a life of “no drama,” urging believers to pursue a quiet life (1 Thessalonians 4:11).

I try my best to follow that Biblical rule and have been somewhat successful these past few years. Part of that has to do with not allowing drama to become a monkey on my back here in Havasu. Should any of this unwanted stress attempt to catch a ride, I’ll loudly say to myself, “Stop, drop, and roll.”

I hear this works great for fires, too!