Turtley Enough for the Turtle Club

In case no one has ever told you, college is hard. And in case no one ever warned you, you will be challenged. And in case that didn't sound difficult enough, college and all of it's hard challenges will make you stop and think about your own life... maybe even make some changes. So tonight, we're going to look at one of those "whoa... dang." moments that I've had recently.

As I said, college is hard, right? This week alone I have a huge written exam, a research paper, and a fair amount of Greek homework due. Needless to say, it's stressing me out. So, tonight at our study session for the exam, I was extremely stressed and wound up when one of my friends tried to explain the outline to me. Poor kid never knew what hit him. I was very short with him, to the point of being rude. I didn't want and or need his help! Why is he talking to me?! I'm perfectly fine! I have it all together! Why does no one believe me when I say I've got this all handled?! Oh right. Because I'm lying. Got it... Needless to say, I felt pretty bad for snapping at my friend... Even worse when he called me out on it! But what else was I supposed to do? I didn't need his help! I could figure it out on my own!! After the study session, I went back to my apartment and retold this story to another friend, who asked me "Do you think this has anything to do with a pride issue?" My initial reaction was "pfft, NO! Of course not. I don't have a problem with pride... I just don't need anyone else's help. I can do it all on my own. I've got this under control." (This is where the "whoa... dang." moment comes in to play.) Wait... maybe I do have a problem?

To me, I've always seen asking for help as a sort of weakness in myself. Why can't I just figure it out on my own? I mean, it's not that hard, right? If it was actually difficult, we would have spent more time talking about it, or it would have been explained more thoroughly. But if no one else is having a problem with it, why should I? I'm just as smart as-- if not smarter than!! (you prideful little sneak...)--everyone else!! Asking for help would be admitting that I don't know everything and that, yes, I need someone to explain something to me that I just don't understand.

Maybe it's a shame thing? Maybe I'm just ashamed of myself for not understanding things that everyone else seems to grasp super easily. Because when it comes down to it, I don't want to be viewed as weak or unintelligent. I just want everyone to like me and think I'm super awesome. And I have to be a super-mega genius in order for people to feel that way about me, right?

Pride and shame are pretty closely linked, huh? Well, at least in my mind. So! Those are the things that my brain thinks about asking for help. Let's look at some truths, shall we?

Asking for help is NOT a bad thing. In fact, it's a courageous thing!! You know you don't understand something, and you WANT to know more or better about said thing. So you seek out someone to help you. And those people that will help you aren't viewing you as "weak" or "dumb" but are probably really impressed that you want to know more and actively sought out the answers! Unless you're asking them how to spell the word orange... for the 12th time... this week. But that's beside the point.

If you never ask for help, you'll never get better. And if you're not honest with yourself about what you need, you'll always stay where you are, or, more likely: you'll get hurt. For example:

Let's say I'm a snapping turtle crossing the freeway. Whenever people come close and try to pick me up, I snap at them until they finally walk away. "Okay, fine, snapping turtle! Imma let you do this yo self!" Uh, thanks! That's kinda what I've been getting at. So that person walks away, and another comes to do the same thing. SNAP SNAP SNAP! "I can get to the other side ON MY OWN! Why don't you believe me?! Geeeez..." And then what happens? A truck hits me and I die.

So, kids, the moral of the story is this: be honest with yourself. If you need help, TELL SOMEONE! Don't be ashamed that you need help, and don't be too proud to ask for it! Or you'll get hit by a truck named LIFE!

Shelby
Proverbs 18:15