It Can't Rain All the Time

Helllllooooooo EVERYONE!

I have been visiting the small island of Tenerife, part of the Canary Islands for the last 10 days.  I was so excited to come here as it brought with it the promise of sunshine, warm weather, a tan and clear skies.  Four things I was no finding a whole lot of in London.

Three of the first four days were amazing.  The weather was perfect, the sun was shining, my tan was returning, and then the rain came.

And it did not leave, it rained, and rained, then rained some more, and then rained even more.  Before I get to all that a couple quick notes:

1.) I have a Youtube page where I upload weekly videos.  These videos are meant to help, inspire, motivate, and educate.  I encourage you to check them out.  After all they are free resources!!!  Here is the link:  My Youtube Page

2.)  I have a couple ideas for a few end of the year and beginning of 2013 1000 Challenge Community Challenges.  Before I get those up and running, I wanted to check with you all and see if You had a suggestion.  The more the merrier. :)

3.)  On the challenge note:  start thinking of what you will Challenge yourself to do in 2013.  I have some new ideas that will help with our accountability and ensure we make 2013 our best and most successful year yet.

4.)  The holiday season is here!  If you are looking for some cool gift ideas, check out my photography page.  A motivational calendar or a pretty picture make great holiday gifts.  Check it out here

So, onto the rain....

As I was saying it rained, then rained some more, then rained even more than that, then it stormed!  When all was said and done, there has been more rain here in the last 6 days than in the last 2 years combined!  Two days ago I was sitting by my window watching the rain come down, and I remembered a quote from, "The Crow," one of my favorite movies growing up:  "It can't rain all the time."

"It can't rain all the time," is the title of a song from the lead character's band, but it is used as a metaphor throughout the movie.  Just to give you a little background, the lead character and his girlfriend are murdered on "Devil's Night" a night of looting and mayhem that crime lords organize the night before Halloween.

One year later, Eric, the main character, is able to come back to life, kill all the bad guys, and avenge his and his girlfriends death's.  The metaphor from "It can't rain all the time," is formed throughout the movie.  "It can't rain all the time," comes to mean: that we will all experience some rainy days during our lives.  Some of those days will turn into severe storms, storms that may seem like it is impossible to survive, but you can.  No matter how  dark the skies are, no matter how horrible the reality may seem, the sun and promise of brighter days are on the horizon because, "It can't rain all the time."

So how does "The Crow" tie into me sitting at the window on a rainy Canary Island afternoon?  Well, earlier that day I had talked to three of my friends who live on the East Coast (Connecticut and New Jersey).  They were very fortunate to have minimal damage from Hurricane Sandy, but others, as you all know by now, were not.

I sat thinking about Hurricane Sandy and all the people affected by it.  Then I thought of "The Crow," and as I was thinking of "The Crow," the storm broke for a few minutes revealing a small patch of blue sky.  And it reminded me of a few important facts that are definitely worth mentioning here.

Hope can be bred out of chaos and destruction.  Whether you are dealing with Hurricane Sandy, or your own personal storm, keep searching for hope.  Hope has the power to guide you through the darkest of days.

Perspective is so important.  When we are hit by a storm, whether it is a physical storm the likes of Sandy, or an inner one that rages inside you; it is so easy to develop a negative perspective.  Your perspective is your North Star, it guides you through life.  If you form the perspective that the world is against me, God hates me, etc... you will go through life experiencing just that.  If instead you look for a more empowering perspective, something like: this is my opportunity to help others, this is my chance to be a better neighbor, friend, etc... your North Star will guide you on a path that allows you to experience more opportunities to help, be a better neighbor, etc...

Strength is not just for bodybuilders.  Strength is something that resides in all of us and when the storms of life hit, it is the time we need to dig deep down inside of ourselves and summon our greatest strengths.  We all have the capability to be stronger than we are. 

Love.  It is so important, our most precious natural resource, and during stormy times, there can never be enough of it. Spread as much love as you can during these trying times, love will eventually prevail.

Every second of every day people around the world experience extremes.  A man in Texas can be experiencing the miracle of life, the birth of his first child.  While at the same time a woman in Egypt is watching her son get murdered.  Life happens in the blink of an eye, it always has, and it always will.  We are not guaranteed a tomorrow, we are only promised this moment that we are living right now.  No matter how perils the situation may seem, it is important to stop, take a breath, and take a few seconds to be grateful for all that you do have.

Amidst devastation it is so easy to focus on the have not's: the loss, the destruction, the injuries, the injustice's.  These may be a reality, but they are not the only reality.  That other reality lies in gratitude: your breath, your still alive, your abilities to make a difference, friends, family, your ability to move, to read the words in front of you.  Stay focused on gratitude it will help you through the storms.

"It can't rain all the time." Eventually the storm will pass and the dark skies will give away to the promise of a brighter tomorrow.  Stay strong, look for an empowering perspective, spread the love, express gratitude, and keep hope alive, for without these things, we are nothing and life has no meaning.

My thoughts and love are with all of you who are weathering a storm.

Enjoy the pics,

Carpe Diem,

Jesse