This Side of the Creek

We all have them and none of us are probably sitting around waiting for them to appear. They are those confusing, tear-jerking, emotional moments and they are TOUGH.

You know what I’m talking about… the day when we hear not-so-good news or run late for a big meeting and we subsequently get reprimanded for our tardiness. Or the day when our car breaks down, our loved ones turn their backs, we get less than a good grade on an assignment or we are too busy that we forget to make time for ourselves.

All of our tough times look different and vary in degrees. What some may consider a walk in the park may be the hardest of walks for others. We must have found a way to make it through those moments/days or we wouldn’t be here right now. But how?

I won’t deny that darkness is scary and crying is difficult. However, I’ve been working hard at encouraging myself to feel what I feel, experience the moments in life — good or bad — and not get wrapped up in them. Perhaps I’ve used this example before and here I’ll use it again… If you see a raccoon several yards away and you know it has rabies, your risk of getting the disease is somewhat minimal despite any fear you may have. You see it, but leave it there for crying out loud.

However, for some of us we walk right toward the raccoon, pick it up and tote it around as if we are afraid to let it out of our sight. We’re, perhaps unknowingly, increasing our risk and practically inviting the rabid raccoon to bite us because we figured it was going to anyway.

In other words, we have the tendency to make our lives much more complicated than they are and the tendency to prevent ourselves from making it through the tough times because tough times are where we’re most comfortable. The bottom line is that we can’t stop the tough times from coming. We can’t control what is going to happen five seconds from now or six months from now and if we’re overly focused on what “could” happen, we’re setting ourselves up to fulfill the prophecies we established for ourselves.

If you’re facing a tough time, you’re not alone. My God how you’re not alone. I can listen to your heartache, anger, fear, but unfortunately I can’t choose how you will respond. It’s up to you to determine how you will make it through those tough times. Will it be through prayer, music, support groups, volunteering, seeking therapy, talking with family members, going to the spa, taking a vacation? Again, only you can make that decision.

I do hope, however, that when times are tough and that raccoon is sitting there staring, that you will notice it, accept it’s existence, and leave it there rather than packing it along life’s path.

Until next time…