Life mostly feels like an undulation of this and that. We straddle the line, walk the tightrope—fairly well keeping our balance. Then, things happen that weren’t in the plans. They knock us off-center, destroying our equilibrium. And we realize that there is no clear path, no way out, no ultimate resolution of anything. And while the waves get choppy, they are still waves. Up and down, we continue onward. Then calm, ultimately, returns.

The past few weeks have seemed momentous. We have a new president, we are enduring an economic crisis, and each person I know is living out the collective drama. Yet, for all the globalization and noise and media screaming, the quieter, personal challenges are the ones that don’t get much attention. Yet, they seem to matter at least as much. And all we are trying to do is stay on the path.