It takes less than one heartbeat for a life to change forever. What happens next is all about us, because no matter what is going on – whether it be terrible, mundane, or beautiful – the way we respond lends meaning. From the outside, people will make assumptions or judge our reactions; it’s human nature. Some will be positive, others negative. They are unimportant, and often inaccurate, though they mean so much to us in the churn of the tide.
With our minds open and our hearts unguarded, we can learn to listen – to ourselves – and if we really listen, we can find out what it is we are hungry for. We can feel when we are not acting like ourselves, and we can hear what it is we need – or, we can take the easy path and make it about the fuss. Others continually give us some fuss to work with, and the environment will always destroy us if we don’t put up adequate shelter, gather the right tools, read the lay of the land correctly, or move out of the path of danger. Even then, we learn about ourselves when we stay in harm’s way too long.
Life is challenge. Try to be brave as you meet it’s obstacles, and don’t forget your umbrella. Finally, when something is pulling on the leash, remember you have choices – match it’s pace, entice it to match you, force it to slow down, drop the leash, or get creative. Whatever you choose, make sure you are listening to the part of you that isn’t afraid.