A Bunch of Stuff Hit Me! A Poem
A bunch of stuff hit me. And so goes life; birth, toil and often strife. But let’s face it; life dishes up good stuff too. Hard to remember but most certainly true.
So anyway, things are going along, you know, fine. Not perfect. There are challenges, but things are pretty good. Better than pretty good. I am living life. That is what I am doing, living life. Then, a bunch of stuff hit me.
Hmmm, how did it feel? I got this sensation that I was in the middle of the ocean, alone, with the waves growing in size and the water getting ever more turbulent. I just kept feeling like at any moment the water would overtake me, that it would keep rising. There I was in the middle of the ocean. Water up to just under my nose. The sky almost black. The heavens rumbling.
What was I to do? In boxing, they say everyone has a plan until they get hit. I told myself that now was the time to get out the war hammers. When life gives you lemons, get out the old war hammers and smash them into lemonade.
Back up. War hammers? Yes, heroic mental imagery. I will do battle. But wait. I thought I was in the ocean up to my nose. War hammers would weigh me down, right? Ah, the danger of mixed metaphors.
So I decided to swim instead. Okay, not really. I simply decided to work towards not panicking and drowning. To stay afloat until the waters subsided. I was scared. Actually, why use the past tense. I am still scared. A lot of the stuff has passed, thankfully, and all is well. I am very grateful for that. But there still is some stuff.
And I am back in that dark forbidding ocean, the water up to my nose. I am scared. And then I realize. Yes, I am in some water. But I am not alone. The ocean I perceive is but a tiny drop of water in the palm of God’s hand. I am in that water, true. Yet, I am in God’s hand as well. I am not alone. In fact, I am being lifted up.
I need to remind myself, often, to be grateful. I need to fill myself with gratitude. I need to build myself a boat of gratitude. And in it, I will set sail for shore, in that drop of water in God’s almighty hand.
A bunch of stuff hit me. And so goes life; birth, toil and often strife. But let’s face it; life dishes up good stuff too. Hard to remember but most certainly true.
Image courtesy of [prozac1] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
*Authors note: You might see this column pop up online in a newspaper, under the name Both Sides. I am publishing this column here first at CYInterview.com. For a bunch of years, I have been writing newspaper columns. Since my columns have received a good response on CYInterview, I thought I would share it with you. Hope you enjoy.
You can reach me with your questions and comments at Jay@CYinterview.com Like today’s column? Check back frequently.