Life Throws You Curves

Audio By Carbonatix

When we were first married, I remember Jane and I trying to predict where we would be five years from our wedding date. When we hit that five year mark, I remember that we looked back at our projections and they weren’t even close to our reality. I’m sure if you do the same thing, the results will surprise you. I recognize that some people like to set goals. They predict what they want to happen in the future and work hard to meet those goals. That’s great! But I’m talking about the unexpected events in your life. The curves life throws us.

I know that Jane and I could not have foreseen what life would have in store for us. We could have never imagined a daughter going wayward for a few years. We could have never imagined that over 30 years after we got married that our moms would die within five days of each other. We could have never imagined navigating some of the complexities that have come about as we parented our kids or helped guide our grandkids.

You can’t ever totally prepare yourself for exactly what might happen in your future. The longer I live, the more I realize that’s just life. Therefore, we need to learn how to navigate those highs and lows effectively. As a couple, if you don’t manage them wisely, you will fall apart whenever a curve is thrown in your direction.

In our family, we do all we can to encourage, love, and support each other whenever we are thrown a curve. We try to incorporate allowing each person involved to give their thoughts, ideas, and opinions on the situation. These must be given in a loving and thoughtful manner and not in haste or in anger.

One of the things that motivates us is that we need to set the example for our children as well as others around us. I’m not saying that these curves won’t cause you to experience grief, anger, or frustration. Those are natural responses. But eventually, you learn to deal with the problem and you learn how to overcome it. Figuring out how to handle and hit those curves out of the park will help you win at home.