Today May Be My Darkest Day

One of my work buddies asked me yesterday, "How is your anxiety driving in a blizzard?"  The question was appropriate because he suffered a brain aneurysm and nearly died.  Anxiety has a way of creeping into your life.   We all have our ways of coping.  My friend honestly wanted to know how I'm handling situations similar to the one that nearly ended my life nearly five years ago in conditions like we are having now.  In fact, today may be my darkest day yet.  The easy thing to do is simply call out and stay home.  That means others would be asked to take up the slack to get our building open.  No way, Jose.  That's not how I'm wired.  Today may be my darkest day but I'm getting out of bed and I'm going to my day job even though wind gusts of up to 50mph will make it feel like it's -45º outside today.  Before I can get out of my driveway I will need to shovel snow.  I will need to be extra careful as frostbite can occur in just five minutes under these conditions.

I told my friend the best way I can cope with anxiety is to face my fears.  Retreating only compounds fear.  Another friend commented that she loved my sun dog picture I captured on my commute home yesterday but she was glad to not be seeing it in reality.  Another commented, "No kidding."  Sun dogs form when the sun is at a low angle and there are ice crystals in the atmosphere.  Not too many people saw this yesterday as the roads were nearly empty due to the ground blizzard we are experiencing until tomorrow.

If you happen to be experiencing dark days due to the weather, poor health, challenging job situations, or difficult people in your life, I'm with you.  I will be praying for you.  Remember this...  Sunday is coming.  This Sunday we have something really special to be thankful for.  Yep.  Our Savior is born on Sunday.  Death has been conquered once and for all.  Today may be my darkest day but I'm thinking about Sunday while I'm shoveling snow.  I'm thinking about Sunday while I'm commuting to my day job.  I'm thinking about Sunday while I'm away from my family.  And I'm thinking about you on this Friday.  Don't worry.  Sunday is coming.  Merry Christmas.