Testy Universe

Ouch!  Today hurt a bit. I’ve read that when you commit to something, the universe tests that commitment.  My test is something that hurts. Any artist can identify with me and so I feel it only fair to share what led me to this predicament.  

As many of you know, I am a very goal oriented person. Lately I felt my life was in disarray. Nothing really was planned and life was just passing me by.  It wasn’t going slowly either, but rather the speed of a freight train. Life pushed and pushed and I was determined to push back. How I was going to do that was my first question. I thought back to a post from a year ago about goals (click here). It was time to re-read it.

After consideration, I decided my goal was to once again write every day.  Yesterday was going to be my first day.  Before I had the chance to write I found the following quote barely legible in my chicken scratch on a old faded piece of paper. It was so bad I couldn’t even read who said it.

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.

Excellence is not an act, it is a habit."

In order to be sure that I accomplished my goals I was determined to write last night.  It was nearly midnight and I worked early the next morning. I didn’t care. If there was ever a time, it was now to form the habit. So...I spent some time writing.  You’d think that was my test. Exhaustion I could handle.

I was determined to not let another late night happen.  With my laptop pulled out and flash drive inserted I felt it was going to be a productive day of writing.  DEAD WRONG!  Somehow I lost all of my book except the first chapter.  It was backed up on computer and flash drive.  Apparently that was not enough.

As an artist (photographer, writer, etc...), I’m sure that if you lost a piece of work that you’d spent a lot of time on you’d feel the pain.  It’s a pain that lingers still...kinda like the smell of a stinky fart. This was my challenge. My test from the universe. A simple finger click that destroyed my written art and left me feeling discouraged, depleted, and lost.

For and instant the feeling of despair made me consider quitting. I’m not a quitter. It’s not my nature. Instead of giving up I reached deep.  Reaching out to others is what it took to give me a better perspective.  As with all things in life, perspective makes all the difference. “Is the glass half empty or half full?”

I get the chance to rewrite those chapters and make them better than before.  Guess that’s what my work needed to be “world class.”  This principle applies to anything in life. For example, my second marriage, I can learn from my first and make it last for time and eternity.  My second child (on the way – my little princess) will provide me with new lessons to learn. Life is about learning, growing, serving, and joy.  Even in the trials we can be grateful. 

Although the pain of the loss lingers, it has helped me remember perspective. It’s time to get tough, grit out the challenges and make something of this life. LIFE IS GREAT! GOD IS GREAT!