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#10 Are You Living on the Edge ?

 

Last year, a clifftop street at Hensby in Norfolk began to crumble into the sea as Britain’s coastline was battered by wild weather from the beast from the east. 

One homeowner described feeling a sudden tremble like an “earthquake” as the cliff gave way, and so did his house.  

After days of high winds, a garden shed and an oil tank plummeted into the sea, and waves eroded the sandstone. Houses were left teetering on the EDGE!  

Hemsby, Norfolk, has been deemed “too dangerous” for the residents of 13 chalets who have been evacuated and may lose their homes, and there is a “perfect chance” six of the properties will collapse into the sea.  This is what it means to live on the edge- quite literally.  

   But what about thinking of living on the edge as a Metaphor? 

The average person lives a life of quiet desperation. There are many things to experience, but they cannot. There are many things he or she does not want to do that he or she is forced to do because many sacrifices must be made to earn a living.  Day in and day out, one must keep doing the same things in the same way to survive.  

Life can become repetitive; for some, it feels like there is no way out.   

But there is another type of human being who revolts against this mundane life, revels in the unpredictable and the unexpected, always takes risks, flirts with danger, and believes in living on the edge. 


A true-life story of a which occurred recently. A young woman on her 18th birthday parachuted out of a plane to celebrate this milestone. But sadly, the celebration turned to tragedy as she plummeted to the ground. The parachute failed to open. She lived on the edge and lost.  

In every profession—business, sports, politics or movies— there are people whose adventurous streak never lets them rest in peace, who are forever on the move, going out of their way to do the most extraordinary things because they believe in living on the edge. For many people, such a life seems exciting and colourful, and they would give anything to lead a similar life. Only if they had the guts, time and money! 

But how healthy or desirable is such a life? Boredom may be bad for one’s health, but so is the constant pumping of adrenaline into one’s bloodstream that results in a risk-taking lifestyle. The risk of an untimely death is indeed real, as we have seen. 

Looking at the teachings of Jesus Christ. Doesn’t the real art of living lies in the ability to find meaning and wholeness in the ordinary things of life? In the now, in this moment? The epistles  declare to us a guideline on  the best way to live 

 1 Timothy 2:2 Pray for kings and all in positions of high authority so that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 

  Whether it’s living on the edge quite literary as in Hornsby Norfolk or metaphorically jumping out of planes, whichever way one looks at it, living on the edge is certainly a risky and perhaps an unpredictable way to live – it’s not sure or solid, it’s transitory.  There’s a popular that tells us that living on The edge feels much better! 

And maybe it does feel so much better, but that feeling does not last. Maybe one has to create that feel-good factor to keep living on the edge, but it seems to me that living on the edge is just chasing feel-good feelings, but when that moment fades, when that feel-good feeling goes,  then what? 

A quiet and peaceful life is precious, and we will find it in prayer and following our Lord Christ.  And, of course, following Christ is not without excitement; we can live our life to the Max in Christ and find all the adventure we can handle! 

 

 

 Love & Grace

Paula Rose Parish IHS

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I have worked internationally with over 40 years of experience, having a Bachelor of Pastoral Counselling and Theology and a Master of Arts in Counselling & Professional Development. BACP Life Coaching Certificate. I currently work as a Christian educator, blogger, author, and grandmother living with my two dogs in Wales, UK. 

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