Adopting The Iceberg

My life, less dynamic, always seems full of interesting and unpredicted juxtaposition.

One such juxtaposition was experienced this week as I sat in a hospital room feeling terrified for my son as he underwent tests and got poked / prodded by needles of various sorts... while at the same time I was all-too aware that many of those occupying the rooms around me were experiencing more difficult situations than my own.

When I step back from the immediacy of the personally impact-full matters of the past two days, I feel that my family of three got of easy. I thank God for that leniency and I pray that I never experience worse. Considering this, I feel somewhat compelled to acknowledge those who have the strength to endure, (and have endured), more than me in this too-oft bittersweet world.

As humans we are filled to overflowing with an immense capacity to overcome - to grow and sink our roots deeper despite stormy weather. It's one thing to know this, as I feel we all do somewhere in the deepest deep-down parts of our beings, but it's something all-together more powerful to personally taste the tip of the iceberg that others have struck head-on... and to want to run away while full knowing that these others still maintained the course to a vibrant and meaningful life. Some even adopt the iceberg when it becomes a constant and unyielding part of their lives.

To all such people who adopt the iceberg, in part or in full, as required by life: You know who you are, even if I don't, and you impress me, even if I don't often say so.