Goal setting: A preview



A snapshot I took in a photography class. It's the view of a chandelier from directly below it.

When I was a kid, I saw a poster full of white puffy clouds against cool blue sky that read: "When the outlook looks bad, try looking up!"  When I read those words, I had the feeling of being so small and yet so powerful at the same time! I began to understand that in this big, big world, some crap that seems like the end of the world, just doesn't matter. It was quite simple, but at the time, it was the most inspirational thing I had ever read.

Since then, I have come to understand that the poster was religious in nature, which doesn't appeal to me. Nonetheless, the inspiration I felt that day has not dulled in my mind. I find myself frequently remembering that poster in various situations: when I'm feeling sad, when I see a cool blue sky full of white puffy clouds, and usually after I've just looked up...and seen something from a different angle.

It's time to get underneath this beast of an illness and see what it looks like from down there. Might I see this struggle with more compassion and less frustration? Might I understand this is my golden opportunity to live a life feeling like the person I was meant to be?

What other things could I see when I finally look up?