Shortly after the daily crisis in my life went away, I took up white-water rafting. I have to admit I loved the challenge of conquering the rapids. I now wonder if this was a way of creating an artificial crisis?
“There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full.” – Henry Kissinger
”Any idiot can face a crisis – it is day to day living that wears you out.” – Anton Chekhov
You Can’t Escape It
I once made a comment, when my daily life required moving through a debris-filled landscape dotted with landmines, that I knew I would be all right when the crisis was over.
“And what will you do when you have no more crisis in your life?” came the reply.
That comment, made 40 years ago, has stayed with me. Perhaps because a couple of years later, the daily calamities I had been facing went away. Overnight I found myself with holes in my days.
Sometimes it is easier, I realized, to have a crisis to face because they give purpose to your life. You have to be strong, and usually have no choices to make except what it takes to survive.
Isn’t life strange?
Thankfully, I found new purpose for my crisis-free days and the freed up hours; and now a crisis in my life is a rare occurrence. But when one does pop up – and it does because this is life we are talking about – the crisis doesn’t freak me out as much as it did when I was younger.
That’s the silver lining the years bring.
Blog pick of the day.
Bean Pat: On a Dollop of Dali: http://tinyurl.com/nfj2lh5 Fun quotes from a strange artist. I love ‘em.
Pat Bean's blog 
I don’t miss my dram riffled days at all! Give me hum drum every day.
I’m with you on that Dawn
A very healthy look at aspects of crisis in our lives. Well done … Thanks for being the daily pick .. and I invite others to stop by and comment … plus tell me Pat sent you.
Thanks Frank. I hope other readers do stop by.
There’s been little crisis in my last few decades, and I’m grateful. Something horrendous may be just around the corner, and perhaps I can either dodge it or deal with it. My days are filled with the ordinary, and that is a source of pleasure.
May your 2015 be filled with joy and contentment, and may trouble not be able to find you anywhere.
Good to hear Bob. I passed through Las Cruces on my way home today, and thought of you. Coming into the city through the mountains on 70 West was awesome.
Without the occasional storm is it possible to ever truly appreciate the calm?
Nope! I’ve met a couple of people out of thousands in my life who never seemed to have had a storm. They were pale personalities with little empathy. But I think I’ve already had my share of storms.
Pat, your chaos always is exciting to read! Right now I am settled into a retirement rut…after 7 weeks! I am trying to slog out of it before it becomes quicksand.
I’m rooting for you Nancilynn. Try doing something you’ve never done before.