#BTColumn – Living in the zone

The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.

by Grenville Phillips II

I am at the age when some of my contemporaries are experiencing the transition of their parents.

I have not had that experience, but I am told that can be most traumatic. So, I thought that I would prepare myself now, rather than be dropped in the reported trauma later.

When I was younger, I had an opinion of what life meant.  That opinion has evolved as I got older. After spending more than half of a century on this planet, my opinion is simply that – my opinion, which I have decided to share.

In The Zone

I believe that we are on Earth to learn to live in the zone.  Everyone lives part of their life in the zone every day.  But I think that life is about learning to live all parts of our life in the zone.

If you are reading this sitting on a chair, then you are currently in the zone. You are 100 per cent certain that the chair will support you. You have learnt to trust that chair to the extent that your mind entertains no doubts about its ability to support you.

Out of The Zone

When you receive a bill, and there are sufficient funds in your bank account to pay the bill, then you are in the zone.  However, if a land-tax bill arrives that exceeds your bank account balance, then you may fall out of the zone. Once we are out of the zone, we tend to worry about tomorrow.

Every day is an opportunity to learn to consistently remain in the zone.  It is easy to remain in the zone when everything is going as expected.

That is why we need unexpected events to train us to remain in the zone during challenging situations.

The Kingdom

How can we consistently remain in the zone in situations where we do not have access to resources to meet foreseen needs?  There is only one way – we trust the One who has unlimited resources. That would be the Creator of all that is seen and unseen, the Almighty God.

Trusting God means that a person can stay in the zone in any situation, including those unforeseen. Jesus noted that we must learn to remain in the zone with the consistency of trusting infants.

Move Mountains

The purpose of remaining in the zone is to move mountains. Hear Jesus: “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Jesus is our example, and he moved what people thought were insurmountable obstacles out of their way.  We are responsible for identifying obstacles that persons perceive as insurmountable, and moving them.

We may move them using our resources. Where we lack the resources, then we may use our influence and speak on their behalf. If we simply do not know what to do, then we should address the obstacle directly.

Dying And Graduating

So, what is dying all about?  It is a graduation.  When our friends in the years ahead of us graduate from school, we may be sad that we will not see them at school anymore, but we are happy that they have graduated.

Everyone must graduate, whether they are prepared to or not.  Therefore, everyone should conscientiously prepare to graduate. We prepare by consistently living in the zone, moving mountains out of others’ way, and releasing others from their debts.

Good Examples

I am fortunate to have forgiving parents who lived a life of living in the zone, and moving obstacles from others’ way.  Since they are older than I, they are expected to graduate to celestial responsibilities before I do.

Those who: rebelled against their training, placed or left obstacles in others’ way, or refused to forgive their fellow human beings, are not prepared to graduate. Graduating in such an unprepared state is tragic. Let those whom you leave behind celebrate your graduation, rather than be inconsolable because you were unprepared.

Grenville Phillips II is a Chartered Structural Engineer. He can be reached at NextParty246@gmail.com