Life has a way of throwing all of us curve balls; or speed bumps, if you will. Whether they appear along our life's path due to someone else's actions, unforeseen circumstances or simply due to our own errors in judgement and common sense; we all have the same choices on how we deal with them.
Several years ago when faced with a personal crisis; one brought on by my own doing, I sought the counsel of a very wise man. Our meeting that day was extremely difficult. No one is eager to admit their failures and face their fears willingly.
Nearly five years later, there is one point that he brought up that I have never forgotten. We all face speed bumps in our lives. This was just one that I was facing in mine. I had a choice. I could either treat it as a stop sign; basically retreat from my life as I knew it, or continue forward; taking with me the knowledge that this was a just a blip in the grand scheme of life and the lessons I learn from it would carry me forward over the bump.
While I am in no way proud of the mistakes made in my past, I am extremely grateful for those who stood by me through the worst of it, lent an ear or simply a shoulder to cry on. I am beholden to that wise man from 5 years ago, who did not openly judge but allowed me to openly judge myself.
This is a reminder to all that as you come upon your own speed bumps in life, there are others out there to help you continue over them. They are your family, your friends, your spiritual adviser and the many service organizations in your community.
When faced with a speed bump, don't look at it as a stop sign. Continue forward over it with the help of those who care. True, the road on the other side may lead you in a direction you didn't foresee; but who's to say that this new path isn't a brighter and more fulfilling one?
Happy Thanksgiving!
As I scroll through my news feeds, text messages and take or make the obligatory phone calls, I am reminded that gratitude is not limited to one day of the year.
We all have experienced moments of joy, contentment and, yes, heartbreak throughout the year. Showing our gratitude and appreciation for those who have been there with a kind word, a shoulder to cry on or, simply, a smile to brighten a particularly dreary day should be a daily thing.
For me, it has been a fear putting my true feelings out there for the entire virtual world to see. In retrospect, I realize now that I had nothing to fear and want to take this moment to thank everyone in my life. You all have either been the force that has kept me going in pursuit of my personal goals; the anchors who kept me grounded; or the perfect combination of the two. A special thank you also goes out to those who have chosen to remove themselves from my life over the past year or so; it is because of you that I am reminded of my imperfections and how much more I need to accomplish to make myself a better person.
Wishing you all, not only a wonderful Thanksgiving with your loved ones; but a life full of new experiences and magical moments. I look forward to being a part of it, as long as you will allow me to.
