What do you do when you are between a rock and a hard place? Homer dedicated a whole section of the Odyssey to the dilemma. In order to return to their home, Ulysses had to pass through the narrow Strait of Messina with his crew. On one side, they faced a rock with a man-eating monster. On the other side of the strait, a deadly whirlpool promised a fatal end to the entire crew. With not enough room to sail safely between, Ulysses had to choose between a rock and a hard place.
In epic tales, a narrow strait makes for a good adventure and we read with enthusiasm to see how it all works out. When the rock and the hard place show up in our own lives, however, we may have a different response.
When we are in our own narrow strait, we cannot see a good option. Others around us may be full of clarity, believing that the answer is easy and sometimes even offering to tell us exactly what we should do. Sometimes, in our desperation, we take the bait—or even go looking for it. “Just tell me what I’m supposed to do here!” we plead. [Read more…] about Getting Unstuck