Living Outside the Box

This is our kitten's favorite place—an empty water container box. Several times now I've tried to throw it away, and she "cries" until I bring it back (three times now!). She loves this space—comfortable inside—looking out at the world. Sometimes she even pounces on it and it squishes to a flat piece of paper and then she "cries" some more until I build it back up to the way it was before. I'm not sure if she will "outgrow" it or if it's part of our new decor, "Bianca" style.

But isn't that they way we are? Take us out of our familiar surroundings and we feel unsettled. Some of us flourish in an environment that's new, but others of us flounder—"take me back to my box!" But think for a moment what your life would be like if you were forced to stay inside your “box”? There would be no growth, no stretch of the imagination, and worst of all, how would your passions survive?

Several years ago, I ventured outside my box. Comfortable in the medical field for years, I was like Bianca—it was safe. It was a sure thing: retirement with benefits, great pay, steady hours, and guaranteed work!

After living 10 years with a cancer diagnosis, I realize there's no guarantee of tomorrow—I just have "today." And I consciously choose to "live outside the box." Was it risky? Absolutely yes! Would I change anything? Are you kidding?! I have the best of both worlds: I can still use my medical knowledge to write articles for medical magazines and journals and best of all, I am “living” my passion daily—speaking and writing!

Ask God what it would take for you to live outside "your" box?