Keeping The Fire Burning In The Storm

There are multitudes of sayings out there that speak about staying positive, staying strong, and weathering life's storms. While they can be useful, uplifting, and wonderful mantra-type things, when you're in the midst of seriously tough times, they can be difficult to not only hear, but to live by. Everyday tragedies and triumphs, petty grievances and positive thoughts can be found on all forms of media, as well as general life surrounding everyone, but does anyone really know what someone else is dealing with? What another person's life is truly experiencing? Sure, they may show the world smiles and positivity, but is it just a facade?

What does anyone know about others behind their proverbial closed doors? The single parent that's not only paycheck to paycheck, but week to week and day to day with how they'll pull off what is needed for their family's basic needs, but greets colleagues and friends with a smile and triumphant kid stories. The bagger at your local grocery who's always courteous & helpful, but goes home to a shelter. The sales rep that goes above and beyond for your account, but can't make ends meet at home because the company he or she works for continually screws over their employees financially.  The student that is working hard to finish their degree in a later life situation, but can't get a basic level job to help with expenses because they're either too old or too young. These people all go home, to wherever that may be, and instead of rejuvenation after a long day, are in a stress flux of how to make it through the next day. Those who see and interact with them on a daily basis probably don't know anything about that area of their lives.

Sometimes it's just not so easy to apply and live by those positive adages, no matter how much you want to. Sometimes the general stress of life simply gets too much to handle for a regular average individual. Then what?

On Halloween we had a gathering complete with a beautiful fire in our outdoor firepit. Then the storm began. Hardcore rain and wind .... yet, somehow, that lovely fire kept going. Even when the storm died down to a mere drizzle, there were still small flames and glowing embers. It seemed almost impossible with the harsh downpour of the rain & whipping of the cold wind, that the fire would survive. Yet, it did. The glowing embers lit newly placed logs and the flames rose back up just as prettily as before. That fire just wouldn't give itself up to the storm that seemed determined to destroy it.

I'm guessing that's what those positive sayings or adages mean when I think about what our lovely little fire did. Keep whatever flames going you can manage in the downpour, and let the dormant embers continue to glow, because once the right log is put back in, you'll burn bright and strong once again.

~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress