A Miniature Rocky Balboa

Most of the time we never think about the fragility of life.  We think we are invincible.

My newborn grandson Austin is making small but thrilling improvements.  He reminds me of both how fragile life is and how durable.  He’s a miniature Rocky Balboa, running up the steps of his own training field, ready to throw his tiny hands in the air.

He is facing several serious battles.  But no child has more love pouring over them.  His parents are examples of what parents should be in these situations.  Attentive.  Courageous.  Fervent in their faith.  Determined in their care.  Abundant in their love.

I am so proud of both of them.

It is easy when things go wrong to want to blame.  To feel as though life is against us.  To toss a look of disdain upward and ask what happened to all of that power God has.  To assume the devil is up to something and we are under some form of spiritual assault.

But the truth is, life is just a mystery most of the time.  It’s impossible to figure all of the good and bad things out.  And really, to be honest, it’s unnecessary.

The ancient Rabbis used to say, “Sometimes you have to rake through many ashes before you find an ember.”

That’s a worthwhile task in life.  There are embers to be found in the ashes of our hurts and sorrows and disappointments.  And from them warmth, comfort, light.

Ashes come to all of us.  And all of us come to ashes.  Searching for and finding those embers of okayness with life and with its mysteries is a significant part of understanding our humanness and our humanity.

It takes a little bit of Rocky in us to do it well.

Feelings

A little advice about feelings kiddo; don't expect it always to tickle. 


~ Dr. Berger to Conrad Jarrett in the movie, "Ordinary People"

What Does Discouragement Feel Like?

Sometimes when we are feeling emotionally lousy we get discouragement confused with depression.

Although discouragement can certainly lead to depression, is sometimes an element of it, there are differences.

Discouragement is not as debilitating as depression but it can still interfere with our daily routine: work, home life, friends, hobbies, etc.

It can also affect our health, our relationships, our ability to enjoy things, our capacity to make good choices, and our willingness to take on new challenges.

What does it feel like?

·        Cold feet.  Not being able to move forward.  Lack of confidence.  Fearful.

·        Sadness.  Not overwhelming sadness but enough to make you feel down, blue, full of the blahs.

·        Restrained.  Unable to express yourself the way you normally do in terms of joy, pleasure, love, laughter, care and other positive emotions.

·        Defensive.  Not wanting to have to explain yourself.  Annoyed with useless suggestions: “Get over it” - “What’s wrong with you?” -  “Cheer up!” and so forth.

·        Doubtful.  We don’t feel certain about much.  We especially question ourselves. “What is wrong with me?”  “Why can’t I get over this?”  “Why did this happen to me?”  “Why doesn’t anyone understand me?”  “Why is life so unfair?”

·        Loss.  You feel as though all the good things are not for you or meaningless for now.

·        Dull.  When we are discouraged our thoughts slow down.  We get easily confused or distracted.  We have a kind of brain fog. 

If you are struggling with discouragement seek help.  Talk with your physician or a therapist.  Consider the services offered here.  You do not have to live discouraged all the time.

When a Pregnancy Ends Too Soon

The Wannabe Mom: This Woman

This is a story of heart break.  Not all posts here are inspiring or intended to carry you over the rainbow.  In real life sometimes we are filled with very discouraging experiences.  Here is someone honest about the difficulty of it all.  Someone hoping to not give up.

The Greatest Problems

The greatest problems in life can never be solved.  They must be outgrown, by attaining a new level of consciousness. - Carl Jung