We're All Learning to Dance in the Rain!

Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass.
​It's about learning how to dance in the rain.
Vivian Green

by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday, and even if you're relatively new to following this blog, you know that one day a week, I go with whatever's on my mind. And even though one of the fundamental rules of social media is to not get too personal, that's what Sunday Morning Reflections are all about.

I first read the quote above many years ago, and it became part of my personal mantra, along with I do it because I can, I can because I want to, I want to because you said I couldn't! Whatever the crisis I was dealing with, whether personal or business, my goal was to always be dancing in the rain. But as I look back on the last year or so, I'm hardly alone - everyone is living in a flood zone!

No matter who you are, when or where you grew up, everyone has someone who tried to teach them any one of dozens of one-liner how-to-live-your-life quotes. One of my grandmothers loved "Every cloud has a silver lining," while the other was "A stitch in time saves nine," and "Don't cry over spilled milk." The list goes on and on.

We're living in a volatile world, and EVERYONE has been learning to dance in the rain. From a government that's forgotten about "We the People" to the challenges in the economy, the war in Iran, and Mother Nature's wrath with plenty of real rain and severe storms, we could all win "Dancing With the Stars" based on how we deal with each new challenge.

With the quote above, Lou Mitchell wrote, ...Instead of postponing happiness until the perfect moment, find joy amid the chaos. Learn to adapt, grow, and find beauty even in the stormiest times. This mindset shift can transform how we experience life, allowing us to thrive regardless of circumstances.  

And there's my point this wonderful-to-be-alive Sunday morning. They say that with age comes wisdom. In all honesty, I don't think it's wisdom so much as the ever-growing list of experiences, the people we meet, and the shifting priorities in our lives. I've learned that I could never stay positive by myself - it really does "take a village."

For me, that village is Sheila, two pups, and a very small group of very special friends.  It's about appreciating every day, and those intense walks down Memory Lane. I've learned to savor my past, and so many people who came into my life along parts of my journey I never anticipated. And looking forward to the future, I cherish each morning with the enthusiasm of a little kid wondering what the day ahead is going to bring.

It's hard not to get sappy this morning, because even with the highs and lows, I love my life. It's not the life I imagined I'd have, and I hate being estranged from my family, but that doesn't take away from how lucky and blessed I feel for everything I have.  Each of us has a different story to share, and nobody got here today following the same path as anybody else. Yet here I am, happy, content, and so grateful for how many of you have played a role.

Wishing everybody a day ahead that's filled with peace and positivity. In a world that's upside down, each of us can only work on our little piece of it. Go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs I always write about, and with your "huggee," think about how important they are in your life. What would your life be like without them? Better yet, how can life get even better with them in it?

Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world.