Temporary Obstacles

Frankie has been reminding me for days that I need to get my head out of my *** and to quit feeling sorry for myself.  She's right of course, I've been wallowing for days, no, weeks.

I don't even have a good reason to wallow.  Life is good, yet I kind of feel like I did when I was going through menopause, 'out of sorts' all the time.  Not myself.  If anybody was ever in a Purple Funk, it's been me.  I've been a crying, slobbering idiot.  Talk about feeling sorry for yourself, not appreciated, all alone, I'm so all alone...looking for a Pack to take me in, Lone Wolf...that's been me.  Not only did I not want to climb the mountain, or try to go around it, I wanted to dig a cave, move my stuff in and dwell in it for the rest of my life.

Mostly, this involves my store.  Sigh.  I've spent the last year and a half, hours, and hours, and hours, making a store on a website called Zazzle.  I've poured my heart and soul into this project.  I've made over 500 items, all kinds of beautiful items.  I've been encouraging people to visit my store.  They haven't, and so around the first of this month, my enthusiasm dwindled, I lost my desire to make merchandise, and...frankly...even I stopped visiting my own store.  If nobody gave a crap, why should I?  And, so began my wallow.

Okay, I know I'm losing you, too.  Nobody, but nobody likes a Wallower.  But, please keep reading because this morning, as it so often has, my daily Hexagram left me a miraculous message.

"Have temporary obstacles been blocking your way? In the course of trying to reach a goal or to fulfill a personal ambition, obstructions inevitably present themselves. This is not always a bad thing. Obstacles, difficulties and even setbacks that are eventually overcome often turn into assets. Without irritating grains of sand, oysters would never make pearls.

The obstacles pointed to here are not permanent, yet they are in the way. As when a large boulder falls in the road, the best course of action is usually to go around it, rather than to try to move it out of the way. Temporary obstacles must be seen for what they are — temporary — and should not be allowed to take on too much significance.

A positive aspect of even the most difficult obstacle is that it may cause a person to turn inward, and gain greater depth and character. While the ignorant bemoan their fate and seek to blame their problems on others, the wise seek the cause of the problem within themselves. Through this type of introspection, obstacles become a means for personal growth and self-discovery.

Without air resistance, no plane would ever fly.

If you are facing temporary obstacles, try not to be overly concerned. Obstacles are a part of achieving every goal and furthering every undertaking. Setbacks and reverses can affect morale, but keeping up your self-confidence in the face of challenges is part of a successful solution to many of life's problems. Obstacles of short duration are best handled with a yielding attitude. Go around the rock, don't put your shoulder to it."

Such a simple message.  It was definitely a slap across the face, I confess, it still stings.  And of course brings home the fact that Frankie is right...some how, I've got to find the where with all to pull my head out of you know where and overcome my obstacles.