Which part can you take control of?

Of the many conundrums and paradoxes (I really mean many…) that exist in daily life and the daily journey of cello playing there is this one that is at the top of my mind today. Control. So much wisdom comes spouting down about the need to let go, to be like water, to flow like a river. The river though would not be a river without the river bank, without the guide rails to shape it and give it direction. A river without a riverbank is a lake.

So what should I try to control? Where should I exercise my most decisive self? I here lately have been forced into something, into deciding something good about myself. I won’t say what exactly, not now, and it doesn’t really matter. All of us has a choice. So many things right now feel out of control, and so much of daily existence feels miserable, truly. Yet… that has forced me to find the good in a very large part of that existence, to make up my mind that I am good at it. To exercise the control of my will and repeat to myself “You are actually good at this, just make up your mind that its true and be good at it.” Control. Taking control of my day, taking control of what I can control since I can’t control the other 100 things going badly. I can control this, I have control of my thoughts and I can decide to make them good ones or bad ones. They are mine alone and my responsibility to bear should I choose poorly. Thus, I am choosing the upside this time, the positive. I hope it lasts.

What can you take control of? What thoughts can you take control of so that you can steer them. yes we must be like water, our thoughts especially. Its cliche now but with so much information coming at us our thoughts and letting them be like water is more important than ever but don’t forget the river bank, don’t forget that the water of our mind needs direction, it needs a few determined stuck in the mud rocks to create those beautiful rapids. Without those unwavering stones the water would be flat and placid. A river with no riverbank, with no unmovable stones, is a lake. Flat, placid, boring and indecisive. A lake is controlled but in all the wrong ways.

Be a river, make some decisions, take control. You will be happier.