The Road Less Traveled...

So, this time I injured my left foot--the big toe and its joint, to be exact. What is it with me and my feet?? I hear that it's a Pisces thing. Well, it's a Pisces thing AND a choices thing.

Yesterday marked President Obama's 100th day in office. Many in the press were calling it a "Hallmark Holiday". My assumption is that President Obama wouldn't call it that. I'm only 42 years old (just a few years younger than the president himself) and I'm fairly certain I'd be in the fetal position in some corner if I had to deal with ONE of the crises he finds himself facing as leader of our nation, let alone 6 or 7. AND THEY JUST KEEP COMING!!

It reminds me a lot of the beginning of my recovery. The direction our nation has been moving in has reminded me a lot of my recovery for quite some time. I truly thought that we, as a nation had "hit our bottom" in 2004. I really did. Then George Bush won the election. I was devastated.

My belief now is that we hit our bottom in September of 2008. FINALLY.

Flash forward to April 29, 2009. The Financial Market Bail out, the economy, Afganistan, the Iraq War, Pakistan, North Korea, the Auto Industry, Health Care reform, Education reform, FREAKIN' PIRATES, and now a potential global pandemic?? If I were a pessimist, I'd say things are getting WORSE. A LOT worse. But not only am I NOT a pessimist, I'm living proof that things are always darkest before the dawn. I have lived my own personal 2, 3 or 4 simultaneous "crises"; at the time asking my HP: "Why isn't this @&*$#!! getting any BETTER??!!"

The answer I always got was the same: "Whenever you feel as though everything is falling apart, it's actually just coming together..." It's not until I'm on my knees that it occurs to me to ask for help. Humble myself. Circle the wagons. And TRULY be who I know I can be.

While on a family nature walk yesterday, from the bridge we spotted a red ball on the creek bed. I made a spontaneous decision to go and retrieve it. Initially it looked like a pretty simple thing to do. I would just walk through the brush...grab it, and come back. I thought maybe my shoes would get wet. Well, the walk through the brush was a MUCH bigger challenge than I had imagined. I had to stop a number of times to figure out which little clearing I could even fit through. There were big ol' plants with thorns and everything. NOT what I had anticipated. Definitely the road less traveled. There was a REASON the ball was still sitting there. By the time I got the ball, I was feeling very brave and accomplished, but I was NOT feeling like going back the way I came. There was a second option though. I could try to jump over the creek. Pretty big creek. Lots of water running from all of the rain.

But still, IF I made it...it would mean I didn't have to go back through all of that other stuff again.

What to do?? Re-live all of that old pain?? OR try something new??

Yep. I jumped. And I ALMOST made it. My foot in back landed in the water and hit something. (A rock??) Progress, not perfection. It's sore, not broken. Today I'll take it a little easier; practice good self-care with the foot and all will be well.

The bottom line is that things have really come together in my recovery and my life. I know how to live today. REALLY live. Hard work + Perserverence = Health and Happiness. I didn't learn that at home with mom and dad, I learned that in my recovery.

I trust that our nation is on the same path. If WE collectively humble ourselves, ask for help, circle the wagons, offer a helping hand when we can, and truly become who we are each meant to be, (instead of who we think we OUGHT to be) then peace and happiness are on the way.