I’ve noticed that now that I’m an adult a lot of things that were available to me as a kid no longer exist. The ease of pretending that you were a superhero or that you could fly. No matter what anybody said at that moment, that’s what you were. Making new friends without having to wonder about their intentions. Those favorite childhood snacks, that would lift your spirit with delight. My favorite childhood snack was Cracker Jacks! That sweet combination of caramel popcorn and nuts is so simple yet so good. The best part was that you knew that when you reached the bottom of the box, there was going to be a prize waiting for you! Now and again, you would get a box and eat with anticipation to see what was inside, and you’d find that you had no prize for your efforts. The anger and disappointment that rushed over me were powerful. I put in all of that work and effort to finally get to a place where I’m going to be rewarded only to discover it was all a façade.
Then, a realization poured over me like an unexpected summer rain. I recently had put in a lot of work and effort into a man only to realize that he was a poser. Pretending to be something he wasn’t, I released all of that negative energy with a hearty laugh. At that moment, I discovered that he was nothing more than a box of cracker jacks with no prize inside! Suffering and stewing over a man who meant me nothing but pain was a waste of time. Being angry as a little girl behind an empty box was allowed because the prize inside wasn’t only part of the advertisement but what my mom paid for. Remaining angry as a full-grown spirit-filled woman just became draining and ineffective, so I let go. I replaced anger with gratitude that I knew how to love, had experienced love, and was a person who could find love again.
My time was much better spent reviewing the relationship, and bookmarking all the red flags that I missed, the parts of myself that I allowed to be compromised for the sake of peace, and most importantly remembering my worth! I surmised that the situation was what it was and found solace in the fact that there are plenty of new, freshly packed boxes of cracker jacks on the shelf filled with prizes! If you have been or are now in this situation don’t spend a lot of time and energy on missing out on something that would have caused you more heartache in the long run. Cry, scream, sulk, forgive yourself, nurture your heart, forgive him, and then put that disappointing box of cracker jacks in its appropriate place in the pantry of your past. Don’t allow one snack to cause you to become bitter regarding future snacks. After all one of those snacks will one day lead to your main course! The ultimate prize!
