After all, we all know them – the man who loved once and never again; the woman who dared to move away, only to come back in defeat, resolving never to leave again; the woman who trusted an idiot who refuses to trust anyone ever again; the man who had faith … once.
Each will describe in VIVID detail why only fools willingly love, move, trust, or have faith. They sit in living room recliners (replacing previous bar stools) or at laptop keyboards, sharing their wisdom with all who hear as they laugh at those fools not smart enough to.
But in the next room, a 7 or 17 or 27-year old wins a video game. It took them hours, days, weeks to do it. It took failing and retrying. It took dying (in the game) and trying again. It took “leveling up” knowing full well the next level would be harder, more challenging, that it would come with a greater risk of failure … which is exactly why they wanted to try. Because what if they COULD succeed? What if they DID beat the game? They asked the questions a thousand times until … they did.
Yesterday, a challenging day for me fraught with setbacks in my progress. It was frustrating. It was depressing in moments and yes, old ghosts visited whispering, “Did you really think you could do this? What if you try and it fails? Isn’t it just easier … not to?”
With morning light, I smile my most confident (semi-evil) smile as I answer the ghosts …
“Maybe. Maybe it would be easier to quit but I will not risk hating myself or my life by doing that. This is not my first day in the canoe and if winning means restarting this level and replaying it over and over to win, I am ready. Rested and ready to WIN!”
So, this morning, this is me – sipping coffee, knowing today is the day I win this level so that tomorrow I can tackle another.
You with me, my friend? You ready to tackle a level or two or ten today? Or are you already comfy in the recliner? Gawd I hope not because that smile of yours is EPIC when you beat a level. I know because I remember … even if you don’t.
Let’s play. Come on. Shall we?
I love you … either way.
HUGSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Sandi
