Only the Best

“Don’t accept less than exceptional.” His words will never leave me. I was sitting on a tarped roof volunteering in my community when I heard this much-needed advice. I would have loved Tynley’s company during this experience, but she barks at me when I am on roofs, which is an odd fact for a gal to know I realize; nevertheless, her hilarious, disapproving audible expressions of concern have made me quite aware of her dislike of my gall to be more than a few feet from her. So, with fun and companionship planned for later in the day, she napped at home for a few hours to rest up and there I sat, chatting with a new acquaintance turned mentor at the top of a ladder.

The sky was graying and a storm was coming, which was not much different, I thought, than the emotional storms I’d weathered in my life. We’ve all been there. The roller coaster of life takes us up and down and we can get a little lost in the low points. While the advice I received that day from an unknowing stranger on a rooftop was personalized beyond my belief and was directed at one aspect of my life, I’ve since realized the words can apply in many areas.

Sometimes, like when a big ocean wave rolls in, we can get knocked down and then begin to accept the less-than-exceptional. Emotional turmoil and difficult experiences can lead us to have a beaten down feeling which, resulting from exhaustion, we begin to accept as an okay state of being. We must not allow this feeling to persist.

Tynley’s very first time at the beach was as a young, bounding ball of fur with exuberance and endless amounts of energy. Her first run into the ocean, after only having experienced lake water her whole life, was a full-on, Olympian-nearing-the-finish-line-style run with teeth showing, gums flapping, and pure innocence leading the way toward the oncoming waves. I immediately saw nose, tail, nose, tail, nose, tail. She quickly figured out as a result of her unplanned acrobatic show that we can get knocked down. Once I knew she was okay, which was immediately upon her ascension from the water with slight trepidation yet still a big smile, there was a good laugh. She quickly dropped her ball, bouncing delightedly while circling it, with nose pointed on this tool she felt was the important center of focus; she was ready to play again, but with her new knowledge.

Following the lead of one smart chocolate canine, we have to remember that we can’t become idle after getting knocked down. We can’t accept this less-than-exceptional. When things don’t move, they become stagnant.

Don’t be stagnant, and don’t be a ripple in the water, either, making barely noticeable movement. Live! Feel, experience, and learn from all aspects of your journey, and when the less-than-exceptional shows up, move forward and form your next positive steps. Those gray skies will come around and they will bring rain sometimes, but afterward, we can take the umbrella down, put our rain boots in the closet, and seek out sunny new tomorrows.

I started this journey of realizing dreams one day at a time one year ago on December 19, my day to create personal change. Though I may rest on occasion, I choose living fully. Today I choose to not be stagnant and to refuse to accept less than exceptional. I have to make this choice personally. No one can do it for me.

Just last night, Tynley sat beneath me with crazy face, urging me to randomly induce fun at close to midnight. So, we went outside and ran through a nearby breezeway freely, both with complete joy. It was so simple, yet so wonderful. My exceptional companion and I continue our quest to live fully! I wish the same for you.