Like Life--From Haze to Clarity

Wrigley Field--after the rain, getting ready for the game.

     In June when I was in Chicago with my wife, I was lucky because when we got there the weather was perfect--mostly.  Yes, the Cubs game, our first night, was delayed for almost two hours due to rain,  Once the rain left, though, the setting was amazing and the experience was great.  The next morning, during our first full day in Chicago, I noticed that the sky was amazingly clear other than some incredibly artistic clouds.  There was no haze at all.  Recognizing that I could not count on such nice conditions the whole time I was in the Windy City (the third largest city in the U.S.), I decided I better forgo a nap to take a picture-taking excursion.  My goal was to get as many good shots of the astounding architecture and skylines as I could before conditions changed.  I am glad I did did because during the rest of the trip the sky never was that clear again.  In fact, during our free Saturday, a fog set in over the city at the same time we took a boat ride into Lake Michigan.  I was disappointed because I wanted to round out my photo collection with some great skyline shots.  It didn't happen because the clear sky had disappeared.  The boat ride was nice but the photos were terrible.  However, about three hours after the ride, as I walked along Lake Michigan with my wife Denette, the sky once again started to brighten up little by little--the reflections on the buildings and water started to return and most of the haziness dissipated.  My pictures got better with the descent sky.

Perfect skies, amazing clouds, world-class architecture in Chicago.

     This little tale is, symbolically, a bit like our lives.  We have our great days, good days, and hazy days.  Some days are perfect--we see clearly and seize the moment.  Others days are normal--we go to work, come home, and rest a bit before the next routine day.  On some days, however, we experience pain, sorrow, difficulty, or just simply live in some sort of fog or haze that is hard to endure.  I know it is easier said then done, especially in the heat of despair or the mists of depression or darkness, but if we can just hang on when it seems we can't hang there any longer or if we can endure just past the point where we don't think we can make it, we can and will get through through the haze.  When we look around us, at others in day-to-day news stories, at colleagues at work, or in our neighborhoods, we discover that most people find a way to get through the tough times and even the seemingly impossible--and many even manage to do so while remaining happy or with a degree of contentment and determination that we can admire. 

A hazy day in Chicago on the heels of perfection.

The Chicago Bean--just after the haze left and the light returned.

     You too can make it, can hold on just a little more, can dig a little deeper, and can get  out of the haze to the brighter day and to clarity.  You can because you have it inside yourself and because you have seen others do the same against the odds.  Legendary coach Lou Holtz said this about dealing with and getting through struggles:  "Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I’ll show you someone who has overcome adversity."  In addition, this quote reminds us of the good that comes from struggles:  "He knows not his own strength who hath not met adversity."  William Samuel Johnson.  And finally, Sir Winston Churchill, who had to stare the possibility of utter defeat in the face and find a way to rally Great Britain to make it through and do what seemed impossible, shared this hard-earned wisdom with us:  "If you're going through hell, keep going."  You may sometimes feel like you are in the snare of hell and that all hope is lost and that quitting is the only or best option.  That is not true!   Don't give up.  You have it within you to battle through the haze and find your way through the challenges, whether with health, family, work, or self.  If you need someone to help you through the challenges, then get it from your loved ones, doctors, clergy, or friends--even if it means swallowing some pride, spending some funds, or leaving your comfort zone.  No one said adversity would be easy; we just know it will make us better.  Remember, after the haze always comes clarity and, over the long haul, a measure of success will follow.  Hang on (and have some fun too)!