Keep Rolling Forward

Humor me for a few moments as I tell you a short story. Yesterday, I stopped at a Walgreens on Brady Street index that swept over the midwest. I left the store thinking, “Shit. This gatorade will only bring temporary relief. I better go to the lake.” I asked the cashier how she was doing; you know, the usual small talk that you can have with someone you awkwardly meet for a minute while they scan out your random shit of impulse items. Again, this was a particularly hot day so I felt the need to bring up how my A/C is broken in the car, and how it’s hellish outside. Poor, pitiful me. I have only this hot car to get around in, I know. I felt almost immediate regret for seeming like an asshole to someone that worked for a near minimum wage for even complaining about owning a car of any kind. The more we really stop to think about what we say, the more we realize how incredibly douche-bagish we might come across to other people. Anyway, I digress.

No later than 15 seconds after I hopped into the cab of the truck, and gently pressed down on the switches that controlled my electric windows, I witnessed a man rolling down Brady street with a smile on his face as he flipped his cell phone from his teeth to to his armpit. Brady street has a bit of a reputation of a melting pot of eclectic characters, street artists and the occasional man walking his pet iguana. Hey, everybody -- you do you. It's all good. There are various pop-up block party festivals that occur on Brady street during Milwaukee’s short summer months, so bear with me when I say this was most impressive. Every medium to large town has a street like Brady. That’s partially what makes it familiar to so many. Brady Street has oft been compared to a mini-version of San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district or Chicago’s Lincoln Park. But this technological feat of brilliance absolutely struck me in the gut at how talented he was. Now, this was actually amazing for more than one reason!

First of all, have you ever tried to accomplish that? Give it a shot. If you try it on concrete, you probably risk destroying your phone. At best, you might leave a few cracks on your screen.

Next, realize he did this from a set of wheels, mid stride. Can you imagine landing that perfectly over the bumps of the sunken and sagging concrete slabs of the sidewalk?

The image above might lead you to believe he did this from a bicycle. Actually, he accomplished this feat from the seat of an electric wheelchair. Most of us could hardly even imagine the struggles this man goes through on a daily basis, to get through even the most basic of tasks every day. No going up stairs, always being looked down upon and pitied by passers by. Yet, this man had a smile, and I think even a chuckle from his own cellphone acrobatics he pulled off. I thought it would be rude to capture a photo of the man, even if to go up and ask him. I didn’t want to make a spectacle of the situation. A mental photograph would do. It is leaving a lasting impression on me.

Finally, this man had no arms, just what most people would refer to as ‘stumps’ from his torso. Now that your mind is blown, whatever pains you’re facing today, realize you have the power to make it through. It’s likely making you stronger in the process. This is not to minimize your struggles; this is meant to help you realize you are more powerful than you can imagine. Even in a worst case scenario, you literally have more resources available to you at your fingertips than you think.

Life is an unequal and unfair game. We all know this. Try not to get caught up in the tragedy of it all. Maybe your current struggle is not physical like the gentleman I described above, and maybe your fight is emotional, academic, or financial. Most of the problems in our lives are ephemeral, and today you might be facing some extraordinary fears, discomforts, or grievances.

Stoicism offers an internal “operating system” of sorts, that suggests a set of protocols to follow to break the cycle of helpless overreaction. People have a tendency to have destructive emotions; while those feelings are valid, we also have the ability to rise above the most stressful situations. This is not a hard and dry set of rules; rather, we can develop a present state of awareness by controlling the way we perceive those circumstances.

It is often misinterpreted as a philosophy that lacks or suppresses emotional expression; instead it helps an individual find the will to cut the cords of control that tie a person’s happiness to the circumstances of the external world. It includes the Pragmatic Disciplines of Desire, Action, and Assent.

Take inventory of where you’re at in life right now. You don’t have to get through your pain all in one day, but choose to focus on what your options are right now. You can afford to give yourself every available resource you have to assist you in getting through the day. You may later find this to be one of the most formative time periods of your life, from which your strength of character and virtues will be built.

We can all learn a thing or two from the man rolling down Brady Street, and not just how to flip a phone from your mouth to your armpit. His situation is not temporary. There is no gatorade cure for his discomfort. But, he found a way, in the midst of his seemingly hopeless situation to find a way to keep rolling forward. He also had a “don’t give a fuckitude” confidence about the way he carried himself that could make us all see how silly we look when we feel sorry for ourselves. We can learn how to make the very best of every damn situation in our lives that has got us down. It’s time to get creative & turn this into a pivotal moment. What situation are you facing right now that you can turn into an opportunity for future strength? Leave a comment below.

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” ~Hebrews 12:11

Brady Street Photography sources:

1. Photo Essay: Festival Strenghens Diversity Along Brady Street 
2. The Knot: Kate Barelli and Matt Brune June 2018

Originally posted at Dan Emmons' Medium blog

Dan Emmons is a Blockchain Developer, blogger, owner of Emmonspired LLC, a Certified Bitcoin Professional, Certified Ethereum Developer, Full Stack Developer and Advisor on Cryptocurrency projects. He is also the creator of a Youtube Channel and iTunes Podcast called #ByteSizeBlockchain.