I feel like a balsa airplane whose rubber band releases too soon. I keep going p-p-p-p-p instead of z-o-o-m.
Balsa planes are low-tech—no engines, batteries, or even glue. They have two pieces of wood for the body and wings, a plastic propeller, and a rubber band for power. I used to play with these for hours.
To make them fly, you hold the plane with one hand and rotate the propeller with the other until the rubber band is wound as tightly as possible. If you do it right, the plane can zoom above trees and land in a neighboring yard.
If your finger slips off the propeller too soon, however, the rubber band unwinds and you have to start over. The plane goes p-p-p-p-p. It sits forlornly in your hand or plops to the ground.
Right now, I feel like I’m more p-p-p-p-p than zoom. I get motivated and wind my rubber band for the next flight. Then I lose momentum and go plop.
One year ago, I looked for a new direction in life by starting this blog. I was passionate about my new direction, my learning curve, and my writing. I started to fly. In January, my health went down the drain and I took a break from the blog. Then I wound up the rubber band and got myself flying again.
By late spring, I realized that getting strong enough to enjoy my son’s wedding and manage the 500 details related to it would take all the energy I had, so I again set aside my blog. Afterwards, I focused on recovery. Done, done, and done. Zoom in life, p-p-p-p on the blog!
Now I’m winding up the rubber band again. Half the time, though, my drive goes p-p-p-p-p instead of zoom. It’s hard to get restarted.
Thinking about balsa airplanes helps me get going again. I remember that:
- No matter how many times you successfully fly the plane, your finger will slip off the propeller from time to time and the rubber band unwind.
- After every successful flight, you have to wind up the propeller again.
- The thrill of the flight is worth the effort, no matter how many times you have to start over.
Learning: Pick up your plane and start again. Flying feels great.