The world around us is shocking, confusing, and dark, but at the same time there’s an ever-present glimmer of hope that shines bright in the most unexpected of ways. That is today’s story.
My friends, I know it’s been a while since I’ve written an article here on the site and I’ll be honest with you all, I had on idea what to write. Every time I pull out the computer, nothing quite feels like the right words to share. I don’t want to push travel planning content right now, and if I’m honest, I don’t entirely have my thoughts complete on what I’m sharing right this second. In saying that, I’ll actually apologize in advance if this doesn’t seem quite as polished as I had hoped for it to sound.
However, I wanted to try and share this message. Right now, society around us is something so many of us could have never imagined in our wildest of dreams. It’s a time period in our lives where life just looks more than a little bit strange. However, and at risk of sounding like a broken record, I know there is some positive in all of this when we seek to find it. Ultimately, that’s the message I want to share today.
No, life is not perfect in any way, shape, or form for any of us (some more so than others), but we have to continually search for the ever present silver lining. I’ll be honest with you, it almost pains me to sit here and write that sentence because I know what some of you all have gone through, and truth be told, I know that big changes have happened in so many lives in the world around us. I’m also cognizant of the fact that even I doubt at times that a silver lining exists. That’s a tough reality.
At the same time though, I truly believe that in life things do happen for a reason. That reason is never apparent at first, and often times takes years to figure out exactly why things happened the way they did. However, I know I’m not alone in looking back on things that have changed my life and seen written in history, plain as day, the reason it all played out the way that it did. That’s the glimmer of hope. THAT is a reality that can change all of our perspectives.
A wise man once said, “Life is composed of lights and shadows, and we would be untruthful, insincere, and saccharine if we tried to pretend there were no shadows.” To me, that is beyond important to note. It’s a statement that reflects the inherent reality that life isn’t always perfect, life isn’t always happy, but life is also this incredible balance of joy and moments of sadness. There is so much hope to be found in the reality of future joy when there is sadness all around you. There is always hope for a future full of joy if you can imagine it. That is something I will always believe and something that I doubt anyone will ever convince me otherwise of. And, for the record, the man who shared those wise words was none other than Walt Disney himself.
My friends, that’s the powerful message hidden in plain sight throughout all of this. I wont lie to you all, I hate sitting at home and not being able to travel, and not being able to go to my “happy place” to escape from life during all of this. I truly despise it. I’ll also be the first to admit that during this, and during life in general, there are some days where I’m not okay and I think we all feel that from time to time. Even if we do a good job of hiding it.
I had a friend, that unfortunately I’m not as close with anymore as I once was, tell me “sometimes it’s okay to not be okay.” That stuck with me and always sticks with me because it’s powerful. It’s also something I share because a lot of us need to hear those words today. Parents homeschooling kids, those facing job loss, those facing complicated daily uncertainty…… it is okay to have moments and sometimes days of not being “okay.” If that person happens to have stumbled across this article today, I hope they realize how much those words meant to me and how much I think they could mean to so many of you all.
However, I wont stop there with is article, because there is hope and there is so much happiness around us when we try to find it. Look around you when those moments creep up and when you’re working on getting through that moment think about the blessings in life. They are around each and every one of us. Maybe you get to spend more time with your family now, maybe you get to have more conversations with friends through a series of messages, maybe you get to be the beacon of hope for someone in your life that’s struggling, or maybe it’s as simple as the fact that the sun is shining today. There is always something to be thankful for. There IS hope in all of this.
There’s so much value in that reality when we choose to embrace it. We all get bogged down in the negativity of life these days, but sit back and look eagerly for the positives life throws your way and you’ll be genuinely shocked by what you uncover.
I wont sit here and say I’m happy through all of this craziness. That would be a bold face lie. I will say though that there are people in my life today that I am so incredibly grateful for and more so today and in all of this than I ever would have been otherwise. We all have at least one of those people in our lives right now. And if you don’t think you do, you’re more than likely that person for someone else in your life right this second if you recognize it or not. That is so incredibly important to realize.
There is positivity in all of this, there is joy to be found, and there is an inherent blessing hiding in plain site each and every day when we have the drive to find it.
Stay safe and well wishes,
Collin
