Lightning Strike

It's been another of those interesting weeks.  Within my circle of acquaintances, there have been a couple of people who have taken some hits from the world and I'm sure the same could be said for most of you.  There are just those weeks when bad stuff happens to the good people that we care about in our lives. I was talking with Megan over the holiday break and she told me that sometimes those things were like lightning strikes: you are standing there looking at a perfectly clear sky one minute and the next minute, ka-boom, you are struck by lightning.  I thought that this was very insightful for a young woman of her age and it obviously made me think.

The thing that I thought the most about was the way I react when these things happen.  Let me be clearer about this.  There are good things and bad things that happen to us, or to our friends, that fall into the category of "lightning strikes."  These can be things like: winning a lottery - $25.00 for example; getting an income tax refund; getting stopped for speeding; or having some type of serious medical situation.  What I want you to see is that these strikes can either be positive or negative.  But for myself, I have a much greater tendency to respond to the negative things rather than the positive. I am much more likely to think about the fact that the wind knocked over my garbage can than the fact that I received an unexpected check in the mail. Does this make me a pessimist? I'm not sure.  I need to think more about that.

However, I think there are some things that I have already learned by watching others and the way they respond to challenges tossed at them by the world, or gifts that befall them.  It seems to me that as I really think about it, the people I respect and admire the most tend to stay centered no matter what comes at them.  They understand that life will give some wonderful gifts, and will challenge them in ways that are often unimaginable.  Staying in the center helps them deal with everything as it comes at them.  On the other hand, I have a tendency to diminish the good things that happen and see the bad things as monstrous occurrences.  Because of this, I tend to have large emotional swings in the way that I encounter the world.

Wow, that is really hard to admit, but there it is, out there for all to see.  Now, what do I do with that?  I would love to say that it changes today because of this epiphany, but that isn't real.  So, because of the time of the year - 2014 is a still pretty fresh - I am committing to looking at things more evenhandedly.  I continue to strive to understand that both good and bad happens to each of us all of the time, and I am going to attempt to stay closer to the center. I know that I will still celebrate the good things and hurt about the bad things, for myself and for those that I know and care about. But, I want to avoid the big swings which make me difficult to be around.  It will be interesting to see how this goes.

On a completely different subject, thank you for all of the positive feedback on the Adirondack chair I put out in my Etsy store last week.  I have heard from several of you, as you consider how many of these you need and where you will put them.  It is nice to know that I can produce something that you all like.  Honestly, I thought they turned out very well.  As most of you know, I am a Weekend Wood Warrior.  That being said, it takes me a while to get things done, since my time to work on projects is limited.   So, if you are thinking that a couple of these chairs would look wonderful on your patio or would work at the cabin, now is the time to take a look around and make some decisions. Contact me as soon as you can.  I want to make sure that when this Iowa winter breaks, you will be able to sit outside, enjoy a beverage (maybe even an adult beverage), and comfortably watch the world go by.  Let me know soon!

Have a great week.