Whose Prey?

SOME IMAGES turn our tables totally. They surprise us, especially those found to nature. These images can change the way we think about and see the world.

I often wonder if people realise who or what they’re captive to. We’re all captive to something, notwithstanding our bodies, the trappings of the world, the very causes of nature, and our own psyches.

We make choices too that bring us our very own individualised captivities. Then we’re willingly (or perhaps not so willingly at times) taken as prey. If we watch too much television the advertisements make their groaning or jesting impact on us, affecting decisively and subliminally how we think. This is but a minor, everyday example.

If you’re even half-aware, the mere mention of the word “captivity” will bring on shards of realisation as to your own particular flavour of captivation.

The truth is we hardly ever think about the impacts of ‘whose prey’ we actually are. We simply go about life “amused,” i.e. without much thought, for the most part. This is our habit. The Spiritual breaks through once a day or once a week; big deal. We treat life as a holiday where we get duped more than we like. To work or go through pain or do the uncomfortable brings on complaint. We sometimes don’t see what is.

It needn’t be like this. We have powers of our own destiny, in God. If he is for us nothing could be against us—but, are we for him?

This involves conscious choice. We like that idea. But, do we make it now or put it off?

‘Whose prey am I?’ It’s a reasonable question. What is it about my life that ransoms me to the life instead of having an existence in the Creator of life? What holds me to something that seems like home yet isn’t? What deceit is there that I’m completely oblivious to?

These are all reasonable questions as we go on in our walk of life.

© 2010 S. J. Wickham.