Life Goes On

As the years pass, we sometimes forget what life felt like as a child, a teenager, or a young adult.  There was a deep intensity in how we reacted to life's challenges. Everything single obstacle, every single emotional moment, loomed large and devastating:  a friend not talking to us, a mistake we made, our parents forcing us to do something we don't want to, breaking up with our boyfriend, failing a test, and the list goes on. 

There is something refreshing about the intensity and strict black and white view of the world we experience when young. The energy and determination of youth helps to force social change, inspire new artwork and books, envision new technology, and allow us to see the world in a new way.  The human race needs youthful vitality and strength of vision. Their energy is a fuel we need to keep from becoming complacent and their ideas challenge us to revisit and modify our views. Their choices aren't always right, but they are a catalyst for change.

As we age we experience a change in how we view life. Some are negative, such as being frozen in the past, thinking of when we grew up was the Golden Age.  The music, the dances, the way the world worked was better.  Not true. It was just different.  I remember the LGBTQ people I knew of were either in hiding or being publicly shunned for coming out. I grew up in the United States and remember older male friends facing the Vietnam draft.  I remember marches, protests, the Chicago riots and students being shot at Kent State. All was not right with the world.

There were good things too. I think growing up and making mistakes without the world's eye judging you on social media was a bonus.  I love that I didn't have to deal with cell phones poised all around me, taking pictures or videos of me messing up or just being a kid. I had zero self-confidence, so existing out of the spotlight was way more comfortable for me. The privacy suited me. 

One positive that came with aging was learning universal truths that took some of the pressure off. The bad times will eventually pass. You can admit mistakes, apologize and learn from them.  You don't have to be perfect, just authentically you. It's okay if everyone doesn't like you. It is normal to have people will fade in and out of your life. And the final one is a beaut.  It is something Robert Frost said that sums up what I am trying to say here beautifully.  "In three words, I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on...It always has. It always will."

Normally I any down days I have pass quickly. However, I recently had a 14 day spell of feeling totally blah and no energy. The knowledge it would pass held me up for the first 4 to 5 days, but after that I began lose my focus. What was wrong with me?  That drove me to think of other things in my life that might need attention - vitamins, exercise, sleep, meditation. I took what action I could. These were ways I could support lifting my spirits. What I most needed, however, was to return to my daily mantra as a reminder that life goes on.  We can support our journey in many ways, but we can't speed up the process. Sometimes moving on takes longer than others. It can help to bring this to our awareness daily during dark times.

Going through a tough time?  Reread the mantra Life Goes On every morning as you start your day, and every night as you head to bed. Make time to see if your body or spirit are whispering in your ear. Maybe there is a need for some down time, a creative shift, a physical issue to resolve, or just time out to have some palette-cleansing new experiences. Mix things up. Keep that mantra front and center as a reminder that whatever is happening will eventually pass. It always does.  Life goes on.