It’s only when aspects of any nature are extended through to their logical extremes that their flaws surface.
When bandied about, rumpled or jostled ever so slightly, we tend to do just fine.
But, when stretched or stressed — especially over longer periods of time — our dispositions open up ugly sores which only then become apparent to others, if not necessarily to ourselves.
Like a minor flaw in a major building, nothing matters until a 50-year earthquake arrives, almost always without advance notice.
Then, you had better get out of the way as fast as you can.
So, how to get through it?
1. Realize that no matter how bad it is for you, there are so many people that got it even worse.
2. Never give up. You have your entire life: and your entire life could be another five years, another day, three years, ten years, twenty years, or even fifty years.
3. Realize that “stuff happens.” It just simply does. And it happens to so many people, good people are swept up in the undertow. Therefore, it’s not worth thinking about what just happened. It forces you to think about what you intend to do about it now.
4. Cataclysmic events require cataclysmic thinking about what you want to do from that point on. That’s not a bad thing, but it’s certainly an uncomfortable thing, especially when you’re dazed by the cataclysm itself.
5. If your life is going to have significance, it’s up to you to declare it today. Otherwise, the 50-year event comes in as an unexpected thief in the night and steals whatever you thought you held sacred.
My friends, as we reflect on the events of these past five years, we would certainly not want to live our lives or fashion our days fearing the next 50-year earthquake.
But at the same time, what these past five years have taught us is that we had better construct our lives embracing the moment, yet perfectly ready to meet the next 50-year earthquake when it sends its calling card our way.