Through the Sludge (part 2)

Wishing that things were easier is a form of coveting. It is not befitting of you. You have come so far. Have done so much work to get here. You been through so many challenges already. Still I get that in this particular moment the sludge feels far, far worse. It is not.

Even if it is. You got this.

Things are hard. There are dead ends. There are times when we reconvene and switch paths. We are not oblivious. But this is not one of those times. This time we keep pushing through. This particular phase of the journey we simply have to get through. And you can!

Because you can not afford not to.

This is the place we learn the lessons that carry us through the next chapter. This is where we mine the pure gold of life. Of course, the greatest treasure must come surrounded by the most challenging circumstance. Of course, the most beautiful ruby is buried at the bottom of the sea.

But keep digging. It won’t make sense. People will jump to the wrong conclusions. People will judge and come up with their own narratives. They will be cruel. Keep going anyway. Adversity is the spice of life. Give them something to talk about.

How about love?

Where would you rather be? Ask that question but ask it for real. Would you really rather be in a place of ease and comfort? Would you really want to be on a fast track to a lifeless job that pays really well? No. You would rather be nowhere else in the world than right here.

As crazy as the stress may feel at times, as insurmountable as the challenges, as ruthless the wind against you, keep walking. Do your work. Today’s work. No more, no less. Do today’s work. And sooner, or later, you will get where you are going. You will land where you hope.

The land will start to dry out. It will. Eventually the sludge will turn into a path again. The road will rise up to meet you. You will know what to do. You will. These periods of testing are not definitive. They are short-term. They do not define your journey. You do!

And, believe it or not, you will miss these days. There is something about the intensity of such times that draws something out of us. It creates a special bond, unlike any other. It draws out of us a level of trust and hope that will stay with us forever. You can do it. You must.

Watch and see. Keep walking. Your socks will be soaked. Your shoes thick with mud. Heavy, Dirty. Wet. Soon they will be enshrined like trophies, signs of the battlefield endured. You did it. You made it through the rainy season, you are out of the woods. And you are still walking. Way to go my friend! Way to go.