What You Can Control

Strolling along the track this afternoon, I found myself immersed in the wisdom of a motivational podcast. Just as the speaker reached a pivotal insight, the roar of two military jets pierced the sky, momentarily eclipsing the podcast’s narrative. Slightly irritated, I retrieved my tablet, unlocked it, and rewound the audio to recapture the missed wisdom. Yet, as the speaker resumed, another duo of jets thundered past, once more snatching away the words. It was then that frustration began to bubble within me, and I caught myself in the absurdity of the moment. Was I genuinely perturbed by the routine training of military jets, merely because they intruded upon a decade-old podcast on productivity?

The emotion was clear: irritability. Defined as being easily annoyed, I stood there, irked by the U.S. Military’s aerial maneuvers disrupting my pursuit of knowledge from yesteryear. Recognizing the silliness of my reaction, I made an effort to dissect my feelings further to unearth the root of my agitation.

Confronted with a disturbance utterly beyond my control, I pondered my options. Would I reach out to the Air Force base, requesting they keep the noise down? No, I needed to concentrate on the elements within my grasp. Several alternatives presented themselves:

1. Embrace the interruption, pausing my podcast to savor the unexpected aerial display—a free spectacle gracing the skies.
2. Reflect on the purpose behind these exercises, acknowledging that they equip the Air Force to safeguard my family, our liberties, and our way of life.
3. Succumb to frustration, risking damage to my tablet and forfeiting not only the podcast’s insights but also the myriad of entertainment and communication it facilitates.

As my walk concluded, I was keen to document my musings, preserving this lesson in emotional stewardship for future encounters. While the actions and events around me may be beyond my command, my reactions and inner state remain mine to steer. I might not have the power to silence infantile chatter or ceaseless swaying, but I can govern my internal landscape, choosing either to shift my attention outward or to center it within through meditation.