There are times in life when you either need to acclimate to changes that are out of your control and roll with it or just give up. I refuse to give up. I may get frustrated, sad or tired- but I will continue on. Quitting is never an option. ~J.V. Manning There are times in life when something completely out of your control comes out of the blue and knocks you off your feet. You are faced then with the decision- do you just sit there shaking your head at the unfairness of it or do you get up and figure out what you need to do? It is in this moment that your whole life can be defined. You can either acclimate to your new situation. Understanding that changes need to be made- you identify what you need to do in order to make it work. Allowing yourself moments of frustrations, fear and sadness, but not for too long. You need to have these feelings and use them to fuel you on. You will make what adjustments are needed in order to continue on with your life. Or you quit. Retreat into the darkness and refuse to change, acclimate or fight to adjust to your new circumstances. You tell yourself you are not strong enough, tough enough or that is just isn't worth it. You allow your life to go on auto-pilot and just float through your days as a fallen leaf floats down a stream. How you handle the curve balls of life not only defines you, it also defines the quality of your existence. Floating through life never touching shore, never planting your feet and never looking up at the sky shaking your fist and say "Aww hell no- I won't quit!" is taking the easy way out. Don't get me wrong here; floating can be very healing when you are in the immediate aftermath of a curve ball. Grief, illness, job loss or whatever your curve ball is, deserves real emotion and sometime to experience it. You have to experience your curve ball, let the emotions flow and NOT hide them, bottle them up or deny them if you ever plan to get past them to the acclimating stage. The key here is not the deny your fear or sadness with what has happened, but to let it come, let it happen and then let it flow past you as you get ready to begin life anew. It may not be the life that you envisioned, wanted or dreamed of, but it is what it is. And that "is" will only be what you make it.
Believe me when I say- I get it. I feel like I have hit so many curve balls that I should quit my job and go play for the Red Sox. It is the out of the blue; never saw it coming ones that get me. Going along minding your own business and BAM! I have been tempted over the years to just swing and miss and take the out. But then I find some part of me that refuses to quit and it gives the rally cry and I dust myself off and get ready to come out swinging. Like now for instance. A little known fact about me- I have junk legs. Since the time when I was 8 years old and my knees started dislocating and every day since I have had some level of pain. I acclimated each time they would get worse and continue on. I knew I would never be able to run or jump like the other kids when I was younger or as I got older be as physically active as I would like. But I have always said- it is what it is. I won't let them stop me. Some days are worse than others and I have learned to ignore the pain and try and not let them dictate my life. It has been a long time since they forced me to stop completely and recalculate- until now. Bouncing back is not as easy as it was when I was younger. Now I have to worry about the possibility of not being able to walk for a period of time. I found myself on Sunday scared and exhausted and having a hard time wrapping my head around it. Then I remembered what I was made of. So I picked up my bat and prepared myself to knock this curve ball out of the park like all the rest. I will handle whatever life throws at me because I can. Because I refuse to quit or feel sorry for myself. Because like all of you- I have worked too hard to get to this point in my life. This moment in time may very well change my existence. But I will acclimate. I may get frustrated, sad and tired- but I will continue on. As will you. Quitting is never an option.
2 Comments
Alison Pearce
3/7/2013 02:12:54 pm
This was great piece Jenn, just the right length and with an abundance of inspiration!
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Random Jenn
3/14/2013 11:02:45 am
Thanks Alison!!
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