It has been a while since I really found myself thinking life is hard. Not that I ever think it is easy. Rather, life is life, full of peaks and valleys. The hope is that the peaks keep growing and valleys are increasingly shallow. Hope can be fickle, especially with a creative brain. There are always new ways to imagine things will go sideways. One way I deal with it is to look for those simple reminders that life is good.
Terrible, Not So Simple Reminders
Yesterday was the 22nd anniversary of a terrible day. On September 11, 2001, I was doing my usual morning, pre-work ritual. As I turned on the television, I was met by images of a smoking skyscraper. Within five minutes, I witnessed the second plane smash into the other tower. I will never forget that horrific feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was a unique feeling I first experienced on January 28th, 1986 and again on April 19, 1995.
Escalating Feelings of Helplessness
I cannot describe the feeling other than by calling it a feeble helplessness. It goes beyond a personal sense of deep loss, sorrow, and pain. It is, perhaps, mixed with a feeling of thankfulness of not being part of the event itself, being relegated to a witness with nothing but prayers to offer. There are absolutely ways to reach out and help, but it seems as though simple reminders of these events is often the best one can muster.
Simple Reminders In Unexpected Places
It is all too easy to dwell in those feelings and lose yourself. Faith, hope, and love walk away and leave you in a very lonely state. But if you keep your eyes open, there is a still, small voice letting you know it will be okay. It requires you to carry on while providing encouragement. It rained for a great portion of the day yesterday, a much needed relief from weeks of heat.
On a day when memories flood the brain, the rain seemed fitting. Finding a porch full of cute, tiny frogs was one of a few simple reminders that helped me deal with today.
