Sometimes

A few weeks ago I planned a birthday party for a few friends and myself. The day before the party I had a couple friends call me and tell me that I should not have the party because they were worried about me and that I was too focused on the party and not on my walk with God.

In the early 2000’s I had the three different motorcycles. All were crotch rockets and fast. I learned to do a few tricks like, pop wheelies, ride stoppies, ride with no hands, and such.

One night, like many nights before, one of my crazy friends had a party. I show up to his house on my motorcycle driving in the party while riding on the gas tank. No big deal to me but to them not so much. Now I have been told that I am a 250 lb liver. I drink tequila like water and can consume more than my fair share of beer. Am I telling you this to brag or start a drinking contest? No. I know when to say when, especially when riding my motorcycle. After drinking all night I was ready to leave. I did my goodbyes and climbed on my motorcycle when my buddies stopped me. Their persistence fueled my anger and I was about to fight two of my best friends because they wouldn’t let me leave.

Both of these stories are similar because I can be riding high on life and not really know what is down the road. During the birthday party, I could have had too much to drink and allowed things to get out of hand. I could have said or done something that I would have regretted in the morning. With the motorcycle ride home, I could have dropped the bike, run into a tree or gotten pulled over.

Sometimes good friends help you stay in check and sometimes good friends keep you in check. Sometimes you may not know you are close to disaster and sometimes you know you are in the deep end but don’t know how or when to stop.

Next time someone is trying to stop you from doing something, stop and listen. They are seeing things from a different angle and maybe see something you don’t. Sometimes they know better or sometimes they are just worried about you.