“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“This week has been hard,” she replied. “It’s been difficult.”
I could hear her throat begin to constrict, her voice deepen. She started to weep but the pause in her words also indicated she was fighting the sorrow. She didn’t want to cry. I only had her voice, and I knew it well enough to visualize her face over the telephone.
“I just need to lean into the curve as the week goes by,” she continued, “I’ll be fine.”
By the time our conversation ended, she seemed better. I wished her love and she replied. I prayed her week would turn happy.
This bit of conversation was between a good friend and me. It wasn’t unusual for a moment of support; here was a friend who needed another friend to listen, and I was there.
What I found inspiring was the expression, lean into the curve.
At its core, this expression is related to speed and trajectory. It relates to the idea that life is like a straight line but sometimes it bends (curves). When it does bend, one must lean into it to prevent a fall because life still moves.
The curve isn’t the moment of disaster. It is only a possibility of disaster. It is recognizable and foreseeable; a period when personal strength and will are challenged.
What I admire most about this expression is its implied sense of triumph; by leaning into the curve we acknowledge the intent for success. We’ve already accepted the difficult moment because we either expect it or are experiencing it. We realize the difficulty, but we try to prevent its impact by accepting the curve, even if our acceptance is slight. We use our body, our mind, and the curve itself to triumph over a possible fall.
There are curves in my life when I need someone to talk to; when I need emotional support. These moments are as unavoidable as breathing. They happen, but life straightens itself out up ahead. It continues its direction and it will bend at other times.
We only need to remember to use the curve to our advantage, to know that it provides us with support in getting to the better part of our lives. And sometimes a good friend does too.
Copyright © Tyler Gant 2009
