Things in life will go wrong, we will fall, we don’t have a choice. But we do have a choice as to how we fall. Different people respond differently to the same situation. We often marvel at the ability of some to not only overcome challenges but also come out stronger, happier, and more compassionate even after having gone through much in life. We may not have invited a situation and may have no control over the course of events, but we are certainly empowered in our choice of response.

Herein lies the pivot of our life. Living with the false expectation that life will always be picture-perfect is being unrealistic. Living with the stress that if we fall we are doomed is being ungrateful for the strength and ability we have within. On reflecting we will discover the three ways in which we can fall.

We can fall like a pot of mud and get shattered, the situation overpowering us. Or we can fall like an iron ball where we don’t break but break things around us, falling with anger and negativity. Or we can fall like a rubber ball – the harder we fall the higher we spring back. A rubber ball doesn’t bounce on sand, it needs a hard surface. Tough situations come as an opportunity for us to rise to a higher level of consciousness.

When faced with the challenges and uncertainties of life, we will be well served to remember that our future is not determined by what is happening to us, but is shaped by finding the rubber ball within in every situation.

(Picture – Angkor Wat, Cambodia)