Everyday I’m reminded of how hard it is for folks. The challenges, the loss, the questions. I know that a lot of times my answers to difficulty can seem trite and overly simplistic, but that’s because we all have to keep walking through.  What I mean is that whether we want to or not, we have to and will keep going. Regardless of how overwhelming it feels. 

My tone can come across as harsh. My intent isn’t to be cruel, it’s usually just that I feel like the simplification of things gives us the easiest way through them. I know this harshness because I do my best to apply it to my world as well. A sort of  Talladega Nights karma that mocks me from the head of the table saying, “You brought this on yourself Chip!” Not that everything is a self inflicted, but you get the point. What’s good for the goose...

We will all have to walk through. That’s what a lot of life is it seems. Whether from our choices or from the randomness of life, things will be presented to us that we have to face and go through. We can stop and halt our progress while dealing with each thing, but I’ve always found that moving through hardship is easier than sitting and steeping in it. 

Progress through feels better too. I know I jokingly make frequent reference to the movie What About Bob?  and the fictional self help book from it, Baby Steps. I like it because it’s true and because I may have seen that movie 20 times. Baby Steps are the way through. One little step at a time which hopefully builds confidence and positivity in the light of a problem. 

This morning I look at my problems and trials and while they can feel overwhelming, I know that I have friends going through the same or worse and I resolve to keep moving forward. I know there may be stops where I think I can’t take another step but I will push on because that’s the way through. Forward. I know I have support if I ask for it and as hard as that can be, there are people who will help in a second. Most of have that if we only ask. 

The asking is hard, though, right? The asking makes us consider and eventually admit that we aren’t strong enough to handle everything on our own. None of us are. The asking makes us face mistakes if we’ve made them. It makes us face things head on and throw an arm around the neck of another to get through an especially rocky patch, because by walking through  brings obstacles that challenge what we are capable of. 

This morning gives us all a chance to walk through a little further.  Today I’m hopeful you can all see a little light and find as less rocky way. 

#hugsandhi5s