Runaway Slave Complex

I should've written about this a LOOOOOOOOOOOONG time ago. Runaway slave complex. Picture this:

You're an African slave in the Americas during the slavery era. You've been a slave you're whole life and the fear of punishment and the teaching of your inferiority is deeply entrenched in the fibers of your being. Then one day, all of a sudden, an act is passed in Congress: boom, you're a free man. "Oh happy day!" right?

Then comes the business of actually living out your freedom. You've never been free before; neither has anyone around you. You don't know what to do. But you're free now; you've got to do something. So you're left with two options: return to the "security" of servitude falling victim to your fear of the unknown, or venture into the wilderness of freedom in the balance between success and failure with neither guaranteed to you. Hm...

So why does Jigabod bring this up in 2006, centuries after the emancipation of his ancestors? You should know me by now--- I brought it up because it's relevant. I'm 22 years old and I'm in a stage of life where I feel like I can either lower my head and settle for what I'm given, or take charge and venture into an unknown world for a better chance at fulfilment. I want to show you something; I'm going to return to my slave illustration to keep the imagery vivid.

So you're a newly freed slave. It's an uncertain world. But you know that returning to massa, while it may give you security, will surely limit your growth as a human being; more than likely you'll never reach your full potential, and you'll spend your life hoping for better things for your children. On the other hand, venturing into the unknown forfeits all security and simultaneously offers limitless possibilities. And when you think about it, the White man (no offense to my White readers) conquered this unknown; what's to stop you from doing the same?

Your slave brothers and sisters are afraid; they'd rather return to servitude, and they encourage you to do the same because they fear for you. Is the fear of the unknown great enough to make you sacrifice your newly gained freedom? Hm...


Well... I don't know about anybody else; it's not enough for me. I don't like being herded into situations; I don't do functional fixedness. I don't think convenience is a sign of making the right choice; after all, most of the time in life they tell you shortcuts are no good right? So why all of a sudden is it any different regarding lifestyle choices? Just because a way is convenient and commonly accepted as the "thing to do", we assume it's right and expected of everyone. That's a bit much if you ask me.

So suppose I'm that runaway who ventures into the unknown... Suppose I fall flat on my face. Does that mean I made a bad choice in pursuing the unknown? Uh... I can't see that being the case at all. Picture this: the unknown is unknown, meaning you go in blind. The outcome can't be predicted, true enough. But imagine if the runaway goes into the unknown with the support of all his kindred... See how his chances of success all of a sudden become more plausible? But if his kindred offer nothing but fears and discouragement, the situation becomes more dire and difficult for him.

(to be continued...)

(...pardon the interruption. I told you about the brontophobia before, correct? If not, I will eventually...)

Don't answer out loud, but do you spend more time planning and pressing to succeed, or preparing in case of failure? I think I've been taught to do the latter. And don't get me wrong, it's wise to be prepared. But there must be a balance, and too much preparation impairs mobility. I think it was an episode of the Cosby Show or something I saw a few years ago where a kid was going to play football, and he/she was wearing football gear AND had pillows strapped to him/her for extra protection. Needless to say, you're not going to be a great player with so much protection on...

I may have said this before, but someone told me something that really made a lot of sense: a good lawyer doesn't tell you what you can't do; a good lawyer tells you what you need to do to get it done. Again, don't answer out loud, but do you spend more time helping people find ways to make things happen or giving them reasons to abort their goals?

Even for my fellow Christians out there, it's easy for us to say we trust God when we live safe, comfortable lives. But, I think, if you want to see someone who has a truly unique relationship with God, find someone who's life is a life of risk and exploration.

So now I sit here, a free-thinker, contemplating how I want to spend my life. The thought of retracing the path of a million others doesn't appetize me. I keep thinking about the proverb, "If you always do what you've always done, then you'll always get what you've always got." Frankly, I don't like what we always get; I'm not impressed at all by it. I'm determined to try something different, and hopefully, even though it's foggy right now, I can muster enough support to help me master this unknown country.

Jesus Peace