I like the food but I’m not crazy about the band.  I had some black eyed peas this New Years Day as I have done for years and this was the last year.  Here’s why and it’s a little secret you may not want to share with everyone.  Black eyed peas don’t bring luck.  Or, if they do bring luck, I’m tired of the luck they are bringing me and rather go it alone in 2015.  Yes, I’m only 3 days into 2014 and already thinking they didn’t work.

Here’s what works.  Perseverance.  I would say it’s the only thing that brings luck but I suppose I don’t believe in luck.  Instead, I believe every event is a destiny event on a continuum of events.  I have persevered through some storms in life and perseverance has always led me through them.  Oh, I’m still in some of them and I’m still persevering.

Think of the options.  Giving up. Alcohol and drugs. Gambling. Women. Laziness. Eating. Yes, even suicide. Honestly, I’ve tried several of them.  At times I gave up on perseverance and relied on something else to get me through and while I still got through a lot of stuff, those choices often caused other problems along the way.

I have friends who tell me how strong I am.  HA!  I feel like I’m about to fall over at any minute.  I don’t sleep.  My health isn’t great.  I don’t like quietness or stillness anymore.  I don’t focus well.  I do still persevere though.  In spite of those challenges, I continue to press on.  Sleeping when I can.  Trying to eat better and exercise at least twice a year.  Attempting to accept quietness and stillness as a gift.  Trying to shut off all the external and simply to be in the moment.  It’s not always easy but what is?

I don’t feel strong but I do know perseverance is making me stronger.  Black eyed peas don’t do it.  Paralysis through worry of what I can’t control doesn’t do it.  Hopelessness and quitting doesn’t do it.  Persevering does.  Even when I feel weak, I know my friends see something I just can’t see right now because I’m in the middle of pulling the load, of marching uphill (walking 10 miles in the snow barefoot and all that good stuff too) and continuing to move forward.  Praying.  Hoping.  Accepting what is.  Persevering.

I’m not telling you to quit your black eyed peas if you like them.  It’s all well and good.  Just know that perseverance sustains me much more than black eyed peas ever has.  And luck, well it’s just a figment of the imagination.

Grace and peace.