So a man walks past my book table and looks at the title of my book. He asks me about it and I describe it. He then says condescendingly, “Your best moments come from your worst? What a sweet thought.”
He obviously did not buy a book.
But let me tell you this, I do believe it in my soul. And no, I’m not saying your worst moments don’t suck. They do and yes, I realize how much pain they can cause. Being told, “You have cancer,” was horrifying. Still is on some days. Being fired from my radio job at SuperTalk wasn’t a bucket of chuckles. Nor was graduating from college and cleaning toilets. And being made part-time didn’t make me (or my wife) happy. They were moments of fear, terror and pain. But they all made me change. They were moments that pushed me out of my comfort zone. And I honestly believe the most dangerous place you can be is in a comfort zone.
Your worst moments push you into action. They make you get creative. They force you to get to work.
But what I think matters the most is that it gives you a moment to pause and force self-reflection. Your ego is stripped aside. You find out who your true friends are and who really believes in you.
All those “worst moments” have led to better moments. Being a janitor led to me meeting Amy and me having three of the best boys I could dream of having. Having cancer made me appreciate life more and allowed me opportunities to pay my blessing of survival forward. Being fired from SuperTalk led to a job at MPB where they appreciate my ability and talents. I’m also doing TV now, too. My relationship with the Clarion-Ledger is good and I enjoy everyone I work with there. That was a pivotal moment that was an answer to my prayers — prayers where I worried about what I would do if cartooning went away.
Now I know.
Right now, my folks are struggling and that is very sad and painful to my family. I’m working hard to process it all, too. But what it has done, is make me love my wife and boys that much more. I see the future and I know what I need to do to make it good for all of us.
The worst moments do lead to your best. But you have to look for the opportunities during the storm. You can’t succumb to fear. You can’t wallow in pity (even if it is deserved). I know. I’ve learned it the hard way. It’s not what happens to you — it’s how you respond to it.
Come to think of it, that guy was right. “The best moments come from the worst” is a sweet thought — because success after failure always is sweet.