I Have a Comfort Zone

Everyone has a comfort zone. I like to think of myself as not possessing one, but it’s there. Just rather oversized.

So, Shae, what is something outside your comfort zone?

Writing poetry.

But this past week, my mom (aka my homeschool teacher) challenged us to write something based on “To Make a Prairie” by Emily Dickinson. It could be an essay or poem, but it had to be along the lines of her poem, not an assessment of it. I’ve always tried to make myself do the most difficult option (which sometimes is a stupid decision), so I chose to write a poem, even though I’ve been kind of afraid to do that because I didn’t want it to sound terrible!

Here’s Emily Dickinson’s poem:

To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,

One clover, and a bee.

And revery.

The revery alone will do, If bees are few.

And here’s what I came up with:

A forest is made
With seeds
And creatures
And time.

A forest will grow
With sprouts
And sunshine
And time.

A forest is firm
With roots
And reaching
And time.

A forest will stand
Through wind
And weather
And time.

A forest is loved
With walks
And family
And time.

A forest is held
In minds
And memories
And time.

Well, there ya go.

God has given each of us a comfort zone for a reason. To burst out of it. Even though I will never be the next Emily Dickinson, I’m glad I wrote the poem and proved something to myself. When God asks me to do something out of my comfort zone, I’ll know he will enable me to do it, no matter how hard. After all, if I can complete the monumental task of writing a poem, there’s no telling where I’ll go. 😂

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. – Isaiah 41:10, KJV

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. – Joshua 1:9, KJV

Has God ever asked you to do something outside your comfort zone?