So a guy walks into a bar.....

This internet pic has been circulated a few times....but it cracks me up!  The first time I saw it I am quite sure I guffawed. In fact, I know I did because my husband looked at me funny and asked if I was ok.
I know it's pretty awful to laugh at someone else's pain....but it is really funny.

I wish I could laugh at my own problems like this. I am often told that it would make problems feel less overwhelming if I could just laugh at myself. I don't. I am a HUGE offender of taking things too seriously too often. Lately I can relate to this poor guy in the picture. He is obviously in good shape, has all the sponsorship and equipment, made it through the qualifying rounds to get to this point, and probably went through excruciating training to get his feet into the starting blocks. The Gun fires and he and his companions charge forward! But all of the training and support he had going into this could not prepare him for the one misstep that changed everything. Sure he probably still runs (as long as he wasn't hurt) and may race again; but that race was over for him. There is no "keep going" after that kind of "OOPS!"
As of late it feels like no matter how I prepare for things, I keep slamming my face right into hurdle after hurdle (pun totally intended. Sorry dude in picture). Most days I feel like I'm holding my breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop. What feels worse than that is when I get a glimmer of hope, a vision of the finish line in this sprint, it turns into a solid chunk of "AHH that's not what I was expecting!!" which is usually briefly  sharing electrons with my face by the time I realize its there. 2 months of unemployment for my diligently seeking husband, nursing him through Mono, a sinus infection, and a killer ear infection. For me, a sinus infection, historic rain levels for the area, tough adjustments to work, and a relapse of some of the same cycle issues including moodiness, weird almost-pregnant-but-not-really symptoms, and irregularity. (Truthfully, all of the stress in general is certainly not helping.)
At this point I would love to see any sign of good news just so I can remember to breath again. Jobs, health, change, weather, Hurdle after hurdle after hurdle. Jump jump jump! I know that at some point it will be easier, it will get better, and I will be stronger. Till then I can only hope that at least once I will be able to clear a hurdle without so many scars.
In the words of Dory the fish "Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming!"
Just one day at a time...