Challenge (2009 Challenge)

Something that really made you grow this year. That made you go to your edge and then some. What made it the best challenge of the year for you?

This year held a few different challenges for me. I was stretched like Turkish taffy professionally, personally, medically and financially.

Probably the most significant challenge has been, and continues to be, learning to live more in the Tao.

My greatest stress is rooted in my inability to control the universe. I can't control what others are thinking or saying about me. I couldn't stop Jessica or the koi from dying. I can't make people live their lives the way I think they should. I can't make people shut up, stop hurting, get out of my way, love me, stop doing drugs, be respectful, live up to their potential, or make their dogs stop barking. Heck, I can't even seem to stop my hair from graying or my butt from growing!

I wouldn't dare to suggest I've conquered this challenge, but I've recognized that it has presented itself to me, and for that I pat myself on the back. Besides, a Taoist would probably advise that challenges cannot be "conquered." But what's the point if we don't evolve, right? So I intend to evolve and to learn how to be peaceful.