Workouts in the summer are particularly brutal. The heat really does a number on me. I am not alone in that. When I finish a workout, my first reaction is to just lay on the floor right where I am. I lay there until I can breathe normally again. I did that yesterday, but when I looked up I observed a far more evolved post-workout plan being enacted by a couple of fellow class members. Two of them were bowed in front of the fan as if to worship its glorious cool, rushing air. I giggled at their identical prostrate positions, but I also totally understood. Their plan made perfect sense given what we had just put ourselves through.

As is typical of me, that visual struck me. The two of them were just tryin’ not to die, but I couldn’t unsee what looked like a position of worship. That especially pinged my creative side. I immediately started thinking about how often I am guilty of bowing to the thing that brings immediate tangible relief for whatever situation I find myself in… like chocolate or retail therapy.

Hubby Guy has always enjoyed doling out discouragement. It is part of his odd charm. Anytime our children whine about life, his favorite thing to say is, “Life is hard, then it gets harder, and then you die.” He has said it so often that all he has to do is start with “Life is hard..” and they will finish the statement while rolling their eyes. Then we all laugh. We all know, though, he is right. I think we laugh in lieu of crying sometimes because life IS hard.

In 1984 the Ad Council released a Just Say No commercial. In it, the girl waves a joint in front of the kid and tells him, “It’ll make you feel good.” It was an impactful anti-drug commercial. Like lots of things of an impactful nature, it has been spoofed plenty. It has been spoofed so often that I feel like the statement has made it into common vernacular to apply to anything you would tempt a person with.

I don’t think there is anything wrong with seeking the fan when we are overheating, having a pick-me-up of chocolate when we are feeling low, or engaging in retail therapy. I do think, however, that we are quick to reach for the feel-good option. I, for one, am often too lazy to spend the necessary energy to consider what option may better meet my need. Our American culture feeds this particular bad habit. We live grab-and-go lifestyles unless we are very intentional about doing otherwise.

Here is my point: While the simple choice will suffice a lot of the time, we were created for more. It is so appealing to just skim along the surface with shallow relationships, quick answers, and drive-through food. We were created for love, deep connections, and purposeful living. We can choose easy, but that is also a choice to feel unfulfilled. I do not believe that we can pick the feel-good option all of the time and truly be happy. There is evidence for that opinion everywhere. Happiness, a sense of fulfillment, and true feel-good all require an energy expenditure. So, let’s be careful with how we are positioned. Do you find yourself bowed in front of simplicity? Do I find myself bowed, in seeming worship, to all of the feel-good options? Or, are we doing the work to live purposefully?