Conquer evil mushrooms this year

  • Published
  • By Erin A. Zagursky
  • Air Combat Command Public Affairs
There is a video game I remember from my youth on which the unseen 'god of the game' slowly but surely pushes your character forward. If you don't do anything, your character is eventually killed by being pushed off a cliff or into an evil mushroom.

I hated that level. I liked having the option of taking things at my own pace, and being able to go back and grab the magic star, which allowed my character super powers, if I needed to.

Unfortunately, that was not an option on that level, and it isn't an option in life.

Time slowly but surely pushes us forward, sometimes into situations we'd rather not be in. We won't face cliffs or evil mushrooms, but we may face the death of a friend, the break-up of a marriage or an unexpected deployment.

Just like in the video game, we can't effectively handle life's obstacles by standing still.

We should use the resources at our fingertips to prepare for life's future challenges. This will give us the confidence to be proactive in our jobs and in our personal lives.

We are going to face hardships no matter how much we prepare for the future. But, when we are in the midst of those hardships, we should remember that the time is still moving forward, and we will soon be out of them.

As we face the dawning of another new year, resolve not to let circumstances dictate your position. Don't let life just happen to you.

Be confident in your abilities and training, grab magic stars -- like wisdom from your co-workers -- when you find them. Be quick to adapt to oncoming challenges, and you will be jumping over life's cliffs and squashing its evil mushrooms for years to come. (Courtesy of ACC News Service)