The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are stronger at the broken places. Ernest Hemingway
Broken Crayons Can Still Color Beautiful Pictures
It has been said that we make God laugh when we make plans. Think back to when you were old enough to start picturing what your future would look like, but not old (or wise) enough to understand the first sentence in this paragraph, “What did your vision look like? I’m guessing that the image lacked any scratches, tears, or cross-offs. There were no “do overs” built into the tableau you envisioned. You probably were intelligent enough to recognize that hard work would be involved, but that was OK too. Four years in college or effort in building your business were acceptable hurdles to be spanned in order to achieve your dream for happiness and prosperity.
But guess what? S*** happened. In my case, my fantasy of parlaying a successful beginning as a high school basketball coach into a lucrative career as an NCAA championship winning college coach were dashed by an ulcer and a pink slip, thanks to declining enrollment in my school district. Instead, I was an unemployed teacher with a wife, a son, and a daughter on the way. Not exactly my image or plan. My fantasy life was cracked in two, not unlike the broken crayon in our title today.
Thanks mostly to a supportive wife, I picked up the pieces and starting “drawing” a new life with the shattered pieces. The eventual “picture” didn’t look at all like the original fantasy image. No prime time shots of me coaching a top 10 national team from the sidelines. But I actually like the picture that was drawn with the broken crayons even better. Not flashy, but solid and rewarding nevertheless.
So, readers, what was your plan? If you haven’t experienced any deviation from that original vision, I’m guessing that you aren’t old enough to vote or buy beer. Maybe not even old enough to drive. And that’s OK, unless………………..
Unless what? Unless you cling to the notion that any modification of the original plan or image is somehow a disaster. It isn’t. It may not be desirable, but it is inevitable. Crying over broken crayons never drew a beautiful picture. ???????
Homework: You know what it is. Pick up the broken colors and start drawing. And cease the flow of unrealistic tears that flow from perfectionistic expectations.
You can choose to do that. Or not.
The more anger you hold in your heart over the past; the less capable you are of love in the present.