It’s mid June – which means it is almost mid- year – which means it is the first part of Hurricane Season in Florida and hot! And that is a good thing! What!? Have you gone nuts, Janus? Well, maybe, but Hurricane Season and the Sometimes Oppressive Heat in Florida are just metaphors for Challenges that we meet when we are going for something wonderful and worthwhile. As I see it, if we didn’t have hurricanes and heat in Florida – then everyone would live in this tropic paradise and it would no longer be as special as it is for some of us. Just like our goals and dreams… If challenges did not crop up – whether in the form of toxic people or circumstantial hardship – then anyone and everyone would pursue the high road or take on the great journeys. Or in other words – if it was easy – everyone would do it and the “specialness” would be lost…
I was given a very special gift of a wonderful day in which I was able to visit a dear friend, Connie, whom I haven’t seen in 12 or 13 years. She is one of those people who came into my life and into my heart and has never left since – even though so much time and distance came between us. To top it off, I was allowed to re-connect with my friend in the beautiful, “resort-like” home of her friend, now my friend, and was treated to meeting another wonderful woman (and two great dogs!) in the process. Now maybe I was in danger of complete bliss so to temper the extreme euphoria, I was blindsided by receiving a really nasty email from someone I love and thought loved me – I was shocked and crushed and desperately trying to not show it as my beloved friend was in the process of introducing me to the newest member of our little quartet for the evening. I quickly slipped into the guest bathroom to try to get a hold of myself. As the tears fell into the pedestal sink, my mind whirled with disbelief and pain. I wanted to lash out and I wanted to give up. I really wanted to run and just release myself from the commitment and course that I had accepted with excitement and love. I felt unfairly attacked and obviously unappreciated for my efforts and really considered taking the easy way out by giving up on my course and settling as so many others end up doing and then looking back with regret. Then I remembered where I was and who I was with and could hear her famous words that still ring true…”Janus, Well, they can just get over it!” And I knew I had to, too.
Also, while I was on my one-day vacation, I received a call from a special person who has become a rock and inspiration in my life recently. He called to let me know that he would be a lot more available to help with my own venture as he was just laid-off from his day job. Now, a lot of folks would have been freaking out, shaking their fists at the clouds and crying, “Why me?!” – but my friend was calm and collected and had realized the opportunity he was just given was just that – an opportunity to really be of service to others and to have the time to devote to his real work. It actually reaffirmed my own resolve to devote more attention to our common goal of helping as many worthwhile non-profit organizations as we could reach.
During this same day of rejuvenation (did I tell you about my beloved Connie’s friend’s – now my friend – beautiful home complete with pool and floaty rafts under an artfully landscaped lanai? Yeah….) – Connie showed me the x-rays of her leg. Now, Miss Connie is a Horsewoman and is in the process of obtaining several levels of certification through a fantastic training system called Parelli. It has been a goal and dream for her to be able to make humane horse training a major part of her life. During her journey – she was riding one of her horses and circumstances took place that landed Connie on the creek bed with her leg broken in two places and no way to get back home without getting back on a horse. Thank goodness she was riding with a friend and the two women stayed calm and as luck would have it (Luck? Or God or the Universe…you decide) the perfect splint sticks and walking cane wood were laying close by and the two friends stabilized Connie’s leg enough to allow her to drag herself up onto the walking cane to give her the support to drag herself up into the saddle of her friend’s horse and the two riders and their horses made it back to Connie’s place so then she could allow herself to feel the pain and let her husband take her to the hospital. Of course, Connie planned on having the Doc slap on a cast and walk back out with her hubby that day – but instead, she had to endure four days in the hospital and major leg surgery with a rod and many pins to piece her leg back together. But do you think she got mad and upset with that horse for being squirrely that day? And do you think she had given up on her dreams of horse training? If so, then you don’t know my Connie. What an inspiration!
So my point of today’s rant is to expect challenges – and embrace them – for they can be the gifts that you may need to light your fire or to make you appreciate the good people in your life so you can go forward and make a real difference.
Do not quit! Do not settle! Do not give up on your dreams!
It may be a lot easier to just stop your journey and take that low-paying hourly position – to cuss bad luck, economics or to listen to the toxic voices that rip at your heart and dreams – but if at all possible, please reconsider. Do what you need to do but keep Budge-It-ing it forward – even with the tiniest of steps. Because if you dare to dream and have the courage to pursue what others “poo-poo” and try to make you feel selfish or stupid for – if your dream is worthy and is for the greater good such as building your businesses to help others help themselves or to be able to take care of the ones you love so they don’t have to work – then do not allow the mojo bandits and the toxic trash to rob you. Yes it may hurt – yes, it can be tough – yes, people will disappoint you – but remember your “why” and after taking a moment to grieve – get back on your horse and RIDE with your head held high. (And know, we are here to help! Remember, we have the very economical “Your Success Circle” starting this month!) So instead of following this “rant” with my own words this week, I will leave you with a piece that was also given to me on my vacation day with Connie – by Connie. She went to pull out her x-ray pictures and this fell out – hummmmmm…
Don’t Quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low
And the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a person turns about
When they might have won had they stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor’s cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out,
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit,
It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit.
– Mr. Harry Knowles, Sr. (1904-1979)
So please stay strong, my friends! Love you All! And I’ll See Ya’ on Down the Trail!
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