"Forget about the curveball Ricky, give him the heater."
This is one of the great lines from the movie Major League. Life can be like that sometimes. You plan, prepare, and try to anticipate the curves that will come. Then the fast, straight shot down the middle is the one that knocks you out.
Over the last few years I have grown a lot mentally and spiritually. I have always known what is important, but I now believe it, feel it, and have tried hard not to let the world convince me otherwise. To put it simply, I have joy! I still have moods, get frustrated, and loose my head at times, because I am human.
We have been challenged over the last two months. Linds and I were blessed by the birth of Aubrey in August. Just like Riley, I could not have wished for anything better. Unfortunately, Aubrey has a lot of colic, reflux, etc. that she is having to deal with. This adds to the stress of day to day life, but as with most things, "this too shall pass". I think the most frustrating part is the "noise". Too often people make the mistake of talking rather than listening. When this happens, they either try to relate what you are going through to them, discount the situation by saying it is temporary, or the worse is playing "one up". If I knew a way to block the noise, I don't think the stress would be as high.
It is amazing how hard you have to fight sometimes to keep your joy. Whether it is a fussy baby, more bills than income, trying to stay healthy, or even when someone you count on disappoints. However no matter how stacked the deck can feel, no one can steal my joy without me giving it to them. My joy is firmly rooting in the simple things. My wonderful wife, my amazing girls, the smile on Riley's face as she rode her bike without training wheels for the first time, and the peace I feel every time I stop and listen to what God is trying to tell me.
Everything else is just noise!
The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. ---e. e. cummings
