Relationships

It's amazing how relationships work. I get out of them what I put into them. Each relationship has a different depth and I have to be willing to put myself out in that depth too. That's what makes the relationships so amazing.

I have relationships that are in the Sunlight Zone. They are the ones that we are acquainted with one another, we sometimes comment to one another on Facebook or stop and chat at church, but there just is not constant communication. In the ocean, the Sunlight Zone is where the most visible light is. With light comes heat and so therefore it's also the level that has the widest range of temperatures. Relationships at this depth shine a lot on the outside, can be really warm one day and then not so warm the next.

Now I'll talk about my relationships in the Twilight Zone. See, in the ocean the Twilight Zone has very faint light from above, but this is where you can find twinkling light creatures. It's also the zone that has the most diversity in strange and bizarre fish. My relationships in this zone are the same way, with light coming from the people themselves and, let's even admit it, with the most bizarre people involved. This zone is where I find the people who I randomly do common things with such as scrap booking, reading, walking, having play dates with the kids, serving at church, playing or watching football, and even shopping. These relationships are diverse, fun, and the most common in my life. They're the people I call, text, or message just to hang out with at random times. They're the ones who I can go months without talking to them, contact for something fun, and have a totally wonderful time together.

Next we get to the Midnight Zone. In this zone, there is no faint light from above. The only visible light is from the creatures themselves. There is immense water pressure in this zone and lots of animals that are mainly red or black in coloring due to the lack of light. I only have a few relationships in this zone. This is where I find people willing to give me a kick and tell me to straighten up. This is where I share my deepest fears and most coveted dreams. This is where I share my sins, ask for accountability, and rejoice for salvation.

The Abyss has near freezing temperatures. There is no light and very few creatures. It's creatures are usually permanent residents in this depth. Such are my relationships in this zone. This is where I find those who have seen me through the toughest times of my life. My parents' marriage. My parents' divorce. My parent's new marriages. My grandmother's death. My depression. My son's unexpected admittance to NICU. These are the relationships that were in place and helped me through my darkest times. They are the relationships with people that even if I don't see them for years, I still pray for them and love them greatly.

Last we come to the Trenches. The Trenches have crushing water pressure and just above freezing temperatures. The only creatures that can survive here are invertebrates such as starfish. The Trenches are the most important natural boundaries in the Earth's solid surface. In my life, the only person who reaches this depth is Jesus. His love is so deep, that I can not even begin to fathom it. His love is deeper than any of the above depths mentioned. I can not love as deep as He can. Here in the Trenches, where life is scarce, there is still hope. His love is in all the above depths and deeper still. When life is crushing the breath from my soul, His love protects me and covers me. In my Sunlight relationships, He is there. In my Twilight relationships, He is there. In my Midnight relationships, He is there. In my Abyss relationships, He is there. His love is there in all those depths, and in greater depths than I can even imagine.