SaturdayReflections: Rumbling Joe

Like a whisper in the night, life slips by unnoticed until we wake up one day and find ourselves looking into the mirror of time. Lately, I have been reminiscing about life and how fast it passes by, how our bodies transform—from youthful, silky faces to little wrinkles and normal signs of wear and tear, to the receding hairline that we barely notice or even acknowledge. You would think with the copious amount of time we spend looking in the mirror, it would be easy to identify those signs. One day, we will wake up and realize we are artifacts of the past, fossils, dinosaurs that roamed the earth waiting for the meteor shower.

Just a few years ago, time seemed to move at a snail's pace, excruciatingly slow. Nowadays, Fridays are synonymous with Mondays. As I get older, I’ve found a certain tranquility and contentment with who I am. But let’s be honest, not all days are great. Some days smack me right in the face, like a sucker punch you never see coming.

Life, I think, is sometimes like a boxing match. You train for six months only to show up and fight for 30 minutes. With that in mind, I’m learning to be more patient with the process. It’s hard not to be driven by a single goal and the adrenaline that comes with it. But being consistent while looking at the bigger picture is crucial. It’s not just about training your body and mind for the next fight, but about training to be a better fighter every day.

Sometimes you get sucker-punched and have to dust yourself off on the referee's count. Sometimes you don't stand up on the second or third count. Sometimes it's the tenth when you finally muster the energy to pull yourself together.

When that sucker punch lands, sometimes it's lights out, and you have to go back to the drawing board and strategize anew. Like Mike Tyson said, "Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth." Pushing through and being patient even when things are not going your way is a skill that is hard to master. I have been trying to be intentional with this.

As I sit on the porch, watching the sun set and life pass by, a plane—probably a Cessna—flies overhead. I guess this Saturday got to me. Have a great one, and see you tomorrow for the Sunday Film. It’s gonna be a good one.