The Good Life

There are shimmering moments in life when everything seems absolutely perfect and right with the world. I woke this morning to one of those moments. The whole day hasn't been perfect, but it started off on the right foot.

The most discouraging times of my life are when I feel trapped, stuck, and like nothing is going to change or get better. I've learned over the last couple years that when I begin to sink into hopelessness, I have to make goals for myself and create a strategy for achieving them. And they have to big goals, challenges. I relish overcoming some obstacle. That always jolts me back into self-efficacy and injects a sense of adventure into the mundane daily grind.

It's not unusual then that I'm always happiest when I have a lot on my plate; goals set, adventures idealized, fun weekend activities on the calendar. Right now a world of possibilities stretches out before me. I'm working on completing my OCS packet (a project I've had underway for over a year, without progress); I have a race this weekend; a summer of great marathon training with F4 and AIR; two killer races calendared for the fall; a fun weekend in the mountains with my favorite people in a couple weeks; the Westword Music Showcase all day tomorrow featuring 90 local bands; Death Cab for Cutie with Andrew Bird at Red Rocks in July; Wilco and Okkervil River also at Red Rocks in July; countless poker tournaments to win; fourteeners to climb; camping trips to make; spontaneous road trips to take; and the possiblities go on and on.

Also, I feel like the work I'm doing has taken on some significance. As my responsibilities grow and change, I can sink my teeth into some projects and hurry through the silly, mundane work.

I still feel stuck sometimes; and I hate that I'm not in a position where I'm really using my skills or learning new ones. But there is likelihood for change.

The best part of all of this is that I have someone along for the ride, no matter where it takes us, who supports me and wants to be part of the adventure. So if I get deployed in next year, he'll take a job overseas too. If I get sent to OCS for 8 months, he'll visit when he can. If I want to go back to school, he'll move with me where ever I get funding. And, when I beat him at something he doesn't get sulky and feel demasculated, he brags about me. Not to make him sound like a pansy without any goals of his own who let's his woman call all the shots. He's easy going and confident enough not to be intimidated by my high-hopes, and he's accomplished so much already that I think he's willing to let me pursue some of my own ambitions. No wonder I like this guy. :)