Favorite Inspirational Quotes

We were not created to be eaten by anxiety, but to walk erect, free, unafraid in a world where there is work to do, truth to seek, love to give and win.

Joseph Ford Newton

Of all inspirational quotes that could have show up today, this one is on the money. I have spent an anxious night and will have an anxious day because the winds have come again. Why would that make me anxious? Because there are smoldering tree trunks and posts and beams from a controlled burn that got away. My worry is about sparks being blown out into the dry vegetation beyond the burn areas from the smoldering and still burning wood and trees.

Is there anything I can do about the smoldering wood or the wind? Nope, not a thing. But I will be on watch all day and tonight too if the wind does not die down.

So today I am eaten by anxiety. I am afraid. But I still have work to do. I still have tons of improvements in myself to make. I still have people to love. I can still be grateful for so much. I will not let other fears I can do nothing about, not even keeping a lookout, stop me from doing what I can.

And that is what I think this quote really means. So many things we are generally anxious about are things we can do nothing about - nothing at all. So, leave that fear and anxious thought behind. Get on with what you can do - work, seek truth and love and be grateful for all you have.

Note: I wish this journal entry had come about again yesterday. Believe it or not, there was another controlled burn on the property adjacent to us that also got out of control. Keeping an eye on the direction of the fire and concern for those who appeared to be in its path again had me anxious though I was fairly sure I was not in danger. It is amazing how much more anxiety seems to affect you as you get older. I wonder why?

Tags: anxiety