We all get our fill of ups and downs. 

Life is a roller coaster. Cliche, but true.  We all suffer the inevitable ups and downs throughout life.  Really, all of them are survivable.  Rarely are any truly a matter of life or death.  Yet it's the lows that make us feel as though we are at the brink of annihilation.  It's at those times that we must remember that it's not so.  We are going to survive.  We are going to triumph over "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune".  Most likely we will come out stronger than we were before.  Oh, I suppose there is that slim chance that we will come out of the fog and not see daylight.  Or perhaps the "daylight" we see is actually a meteorite coming straight for us.  On the bright side, if that's the case we won't feel a thing.

Things could be worse, you know.  For me, I know I have people that love me, even though I am a total jackass at times.  I have a wife that, for reasons unknown, continues to love me and put up with me even though I have given her ample reasons to throw in the towel.  For some reason she continues to love me almost as unconditionally as my dogs.  That's something that should never be taken for granted.

Speaking of my dogs, I have two dogs that even if I leave them outside for 3 hours in the cold, when I finally remember to let them in they aren't mad at me for leaving them out for so long.  On the contrary they are happier than ever to see me.  If they could speak, they would tell me about their terrible ordeal and at the end of the story proclaim that it's time for us to go snuggle to warm them up.  Not once would they point the finger at me.  If you want to know the meaning of unconditional love, buy a dog. 

Yes, it's important to remember that most things we deal with in everyday life isn't going to kill us.  Even some of the harshest things we come up against will leave us alive and actually invigorated for the next challenge that life throws at us.  Really, we should save all of our anxiety for when we are dealing with something that will actually kill us.  Cancer, heart attack, shark attack or killer bees.  Those are the things we should trouble ourselves with.  In the meantime, enjoy life, even in the imperfect state we must.  Even with the bills, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and extra pounds, it's all a heck of a lot better than pushing up daisies.