The Inner Ring

I believe that C.S. Lewis approached a common topic in a unique way in "The Inner Ring". He discussed the concept of how humans always want to be included in some way or another. We all want to be inside the 'inner ring'. "I believe that in all men's' lives at certain periods, and in many men's lives at all periods between infancy and extreme old age, one of the most dominant elements is the desire to be inside the local Ring and the terror of being left outside." Every person can remember one moment in their lives when the longed to be apart of a certain group; to be inside the inner ring.

I guess the most cliche example of this would have to be high school. It may be cliche, but this is where I witnessed adolescents doing anything to get into a certain group. They changed who they were into who they thought they wanted to be; or more likely who they thought others wanted them to be. I watched my friends change completely so that they would fit in better with the more "popular" group. I struggled with the idea of being content with myself, and tried to be someone that I wasn't. It is something that I struggle with everyday and will continue to struggle with in every stage of my life. Although I do feel more secure in who I am now than I did back when I was 15, I still struggle with the constant push to be someone that the world would want me to be; not necessarily God. Striving to be in the Inner Ring brings many people to pride when they get in, and grief when they do not.

I Corinthians 12:12-13 states, "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." I really like this passage because it reminds me to be content with who God made me to be. God gave each and every one of His children different gifts to further His Kingdom and to show the true beauty of His Creation. This is something I need to remind myself everyday; I am who God say I am.

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have." (Frederick Keonig)