You went down to the bottom of the barrel. You thought there was no way up. Yet here you stand. I'm not sure where. But it's some form of "up".
Reflection
It's easy to get hung up thinking we messed up and that life is over as we know it. But is it really?
No.
We always find a way out. We somehow push through the pain. And next thing, we are back on the path.
Now, we might not be where we want to be, but we have progressed somewhere. Even if we only discovered a dead end or two on the path, that's still something.
Dead ends are better than never having the courage to pursue any ends.
And each time you climb out of the bottom of the metaphorical barrel, you get a little stronger. Your character is shaped.
Think of someone you admire.
Do you admire them for their absolute perfection?
No, that’s boring. I’m guessing you admire something about their humanness. The struggles they’ve overcome. The way they carry themselves through adversity. The way they treat you despite what they are going through.
Or consider some of your favourite characters on TV.
I’m guessing they are deeply flawed?
But somehow so likeable?
Maybe you see parts of yourself in them. I often find I freaking hate a character in a series, and they really rub me up the wrong way. But then, two episodes later, I find myself feeling sorry for them or finding a new appreciation for them in some way.
You recognise the uncertainties of life and how nothing is an easy decision; there’s always some unexpected consequence. But people are generally doing the best they can.
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, right?
No, that, too, would be boring.
Why should you expect any different?
One thing I have learned is to make friends with the bottom of that barrel. It’s somewhere we visit time and time again. Rather than wishing it away, respect its seasonality and understand its impermanence.
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I love the gentle reminders from nature that good things are around the corner: