Whispers in the dark

I recently heard something said about failing that was so simple and made so much sense that I don't know how I didn't see it before. One of my biggest fears is failing. Now for the simple example that has me thinking... Imagine if you had only one egg to eat and you had to carry that egg a mile back to your house before you could eat it. You're going to hold that egg very carefully and watch it to make sure it doesn't fall out of your hands while you're walking. Suddenly as your walking, watching the egg very carefully, you tripped and the egg has fallen out of your hands and cracked, your only meal slowly falling upon the road. Why, you may ask, you was being so careful, watching the egg, but that was the problem you was focusing more on the egg and failing instead of just carefully holding the egg and focusing on the road and where you was going. You can't focus on your failures that you already have made or the could be failures (which I personally think are the worst ones to hold you back and make you trip) or you'll always feel defeated, not to mention, you'll never make it home to fix that egg (or whatever you would like to eat)!

As I mentioned in an earlier post I've been reading the second book in this series I'm reading and last night I finished Whispers in the Moonlight. Since it kind of goes with the previous paragraph I'll just save a post and write about it as well. You know how in movies sequels are usually never as good and sometimes that can be the case for series of books as well but not this time, the second book had just as much, if not more in it's own way, to offer. This book focuses on Travis and Rebecca and how she has to marry him without really knowing him. After her father passes away circumstances cause Rebecca to believe Travis only married her to get her fathers ranch. With growing assumptions and doubt Rebecca chooses to listen to all the questions rolling around in her mind and with growing suspicion and doubt that Travis cares about her but more about the ranch she runs away. Without giving much more away Travis and Rebecca both have to face a lot of things and discover a lot about themselves before you get to the happy ending. I, like Rebecca, tend to put walls up and take something that is said and make dozens of turns down assume drive, which can be a one way road that is hard to find a place to turn around on. You know how it is, all those questions attack you and come out of nowhere and they all always go down the wrong road but seem so legit and no way it isn't true at the time. And with the walls being built, mine aren't to keep a husband away, but like Rebecca it still hinders me and my friendships, or lack thereof. Another thing was how at times Rebecca would try to tear the wall down and change but fear quickly rose at the last minute causing her to quickly build the wall back up and forget about trying to change because after all she would fail anyway and Travis didn't really love her. I, personally, do the same thing with making up my mind I can do something as simple as going up to a friend or acquaintance for example and starting a conversation and will play it out in my head only to chicken out at the last minute and build the wall back up and only keep the conversation on my end to the bare minimum. Anyway, Rebecca finally starts letting the wall down, not completely but enough to make progress and I think the wall will come completely down in the third book. So like Rebecca I got to remember not to do 20 questions in my head all based on assuming what was behind the short conversation exchange and how something was said sounded may not have been intended the way I took it (someone sounding like they are mad at you when in fact they are just short with you because of something personal going on in their own life that has absolutely nothing to do with you type of thing) I got to remember it's okay not to always have the wall up.I'm posting the video for the song Austin by Blake Shelton because it is a perfect analogy of how Travis' love never dwindled or stopped for Rebecca while he searched and ultimately had to wait for her to come back to him. In fact if this book had a soundtrack, that would definitely be on it. What can I say, when I read I am not only there I also include the musical score too!

So next time you, or I, have those whispers in the dark about failing remember to take one step at a time and focus on where you're going instead of all those questions/thoughts pointing out how it could go wrong. Easier said than done but I think it's worth trying, at least for myself, maybe you will to. Here's to learning not to focus on my failings and short comings but on the finish line, and how I will make it there without dropping my egg. :)