SAILS

(Thank you, Rob, for the use of this lovely photograph you took.)

How do you fix what you perceive to be a flaw in yourself? A flaw you have had as long as you can remember. Or does it even need to be changed? Do you accept that it is how you are and leave it at that?

I can be sailing smoothly across the water and enjoying the beautiful view and the breeze tousling my hair when suddenly one thing goes wrong. The wind leaves my sails, and I am left slumped over. Gone are the previous moments of relaxation and quiet joy. Replaced with a melancholy that clouds all the positives leading up to that one thing gone wrong.

For example, say that you had a wonderful day. That there were many laughs and smiles and feel-good happenings. You felt genuinely content and even somewhat giddy. Happiness surrounded you. Nite approached, and you were still riding the high the day brought to you. Then, in the blink of an eye, someone said something to upset you or hurt you or anger you. And BOOM. Wiped out was all of the day's happiness. It could be a big or little "something" and it would not make a difference. The fact is your mood is shot.

Well, I am that way. I am the one who lets go of the 99 pluses of the day and gets mired in the one minus. I hate it. I have tried very, very hard not to let anyone affect me to such an extent. As a general rule, it is only those I care about who can cause me to react in this manner. I suppose that is very telling in itself.

I do know that when morning comes, I will return to my former state of feeling upbeat and looking forward to a day of delight and smooth sailing with the wind once again nudging my sails.

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson