Ups and Downs

I have often defined ups and downs by the external--the downs being the times out of work, rough patches at work, kid disappointments, and the ups being stretches of employment, life milestones, or a dress that fits just right. But as I wander through life, the line between up and down is increasingly blurred. And what once may have seemed external turns out to be a lot more internal than I thought. After all, it's very possible to be employed, but unsure. It's very possible to be between jobs but full of life. It's very possible to look great in a dress but feel not so great in your own skin. And, while up and down may appear to be opposites, they are often just different parts of the same experience.
 
I remember, as if it was yesterday, the days when I was out of work, just trying to make it through the day with some progress and with minimal tears--clearly, a time of "downs," a time I am grateful to be past for now. The key, I suppose, is to put the other "downs" in perspective, and to try to keep the "ups" in sight at all times. There will always be ups and downs. But just as we get past the big "downs," we can get past the smaller ones too. Until we find ourselves headed back "up."