Persevere

 There is a line in Finding Nemo, the 2003 Disney/Pixar animated film. In it the fish Dora (a family favorite) sings, "Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming", as she and Marlon (Nemo's dad) search the Ocean for Nemo. Our family has adopted that phrase and uses it often in situations where we must propel forward in an event or life circumstance that is trying our patience.

The holidays are generally one of those times when you will hear me singing "Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming". The process of preparation for the holidays and then the actual holidays themselves which include meeting and greeting with friends and family with the final cleaning up from the whole holiday hoopla, keep me persevering with my head down like a battering ram and my mind focused on completing each and every task. Just like Dora and Marlon, I have a goal set and I do not stop until everything is complete.

There are times where my desire to make every moment for my family and friends lovely, can suck the life out of me. I forget to put the oxygen mask on myself and I keep plugging away trying to make sure that everyone around me is happy and satisfied while I am withering from trying so hard to "Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming". This week I am feeling this more than ever. We have been invited to spend time with friends and family, and we are enjoying being busy, but I am tired and I am wishing I could cling to the shore for a little while and rest my mind and body.

Things like my cupcake fiasco from earlier this week have me feeling a bit overwhelmed, but I kept at it and remade them yesterday and I am happy to say that the end product was wonderful. The swimming its self might not be the trouble, it could just be my response to all the activity. Just persevering and not giving up sounds so simple, but it requires a good deal of self motivation and some days that is not easy to come by.

This morning as I shared my list of items I want to accomplish today with my husband, Mark, he had a look on his face that said, "Woman, do you ever stop?" So here are the questions of the day if you are "swimming, swimming, swimming, is that persevering? Is persevering a positive keep plugging away kind of thing or a vehicle that propels you towards never resting and relaxing because you have to keep at "It"?

In the case of the cupcakes, persevering was a good thing, so perhaps it would be best to take each event as it comes. For now I am swimming, swimming, swimming and hoping to make it to the New Year with a little energy left to spare. The New Year will bring new challenges and more swimming will be required so for now persevering will remain on my agenda and I will keep at "It" whatever that is.

The Failed Cupcakes



The Fabulous Malted Milk Cupcakes...perseverence paid off!