Jay Wilburn's Blog

I rode 15 miles on my bike today, not because I wanted to, but because I'm fighting weight from steroids, fighting fluid build-up, fighting kidney rejection, and fighting to stay healthy. After 13 miles, I felt like I could ride forever. After 14, I thought I better stop. I rode 15 because it felt like a solid goal where as 14 felt like a weird number which indicated giving up a mile early.

I live near the beach, so the weather changes rapidly and storms come in off the ocean fast. It is tempting to head inside when the sky looks rough.

The video for today talks about pushing our luck as we strive for a goal.

Pushing My Luck with this Sky

Standing up against evil and darkness in all its forms is an ongoing, life-long struggle. It is generational and will require good people to stand up as long as humanity exists. It feels like a futile effort when we see hate result in death and loss, but it matters that we stand. It matters that we don't give up.

Generally, one of the best ways to expose terrible ideas for what they are is to let the idiots who believe them talk long enough to reveal that they are idiots with terrible ideas. People who are going to believe garbage will do so even if they have to find those ideas in secret and sometimes the bad ideas are more appealing and easier to adopt when they are something secret and hidden. Daylight exposure has a bad effect on ugliness and evil even among sympathizers. The "Unite The Right" march and all the terrible things that followed were a tragedy for our country from the loss of life to the more fundamental questions about who we are as a country, but it was also a blast of daylight exposure to terrible ideas which have not held up well even among groups and people who have withheld reaction up until now. There is a different tone and a different reaction to this which goes deeper into various political circles than we have seen with previous incidents. Bad ideas and those who hold to them in this case are becoming more isolated and more separated from support both direct and tacit. We saw dangerous ideology at work this past weekend. We saw the logical consequences of hate played out to an inevitable conclusion. It is dangerous and it attracts like-minded people of hate. It also suffers from exposure and the more times these groups try to rally and speak out about their terrible ideas, the more repugnant they will become to good people in our country and to people who would rather stay out of it all as well. There is very little we can do to make hate look uglier than to let it be seen and heard even as we stand firm against it.

This video link goes to some encouragement related to continuing a personal struggle.

I Should Be Used to This by Now

Some obstacles are in our head. As I ride my bike ten miles around my neighborhood, I notice hills that I do not notice while walking. It is enough to where I feel it on those later miles. The wind is not a factor for the speed I ride, but when it is in my face, in my mind I feel like I'm being pushed.

The real struggle and effort is in the pedals over that hill toward the goal I'm trying to reach. The wind is a made up obstacle I want to believe it is pushing me. I have to ignore the made up obstacles in order to focus on the real struggles and effort.

Today's video discusses this topic.

Wind in Your Face

Sometimes making the most of the day doesn't mean the best, most productive day of your life. Sometimes it means doing the most you are able to today with the energy and strength you have. Then, you let that be good enough instead of beating yourself up over what you weren't able to accomplish.

For these things, I will be grateful. For this, I will rise up and be thankful #CaptainThreeKidneys #C3K

Today's video talks a little more about this idea.

Make the Most of This Day

I write horror, I host a podcast on faith, and I do daily videos in the hopes of providing inspiration, encouragement, and hope. What ties these things together for me? I want to reach into the darkness to find beautiful things.

Sometimes that beautiful thing is hope. Sometimes it is a story which strikes hard at the mind, heart, and gut. Sometimes the beautiful things that need to be found in the darkness are the people - readers and listeners themselves.

Check out today's video on this topic.

Beautiful Things in the Darkness

Today's video "No Compartive Suffering" Mutual empathy is better approach. We empathize with people when we go through similar struggles. But we feel bad for feeling bad because we think others have it worse than us. The empathy is good, but not giving ourselves permission to feel bad about what we are going through is not the best approach. #CaptainThreeKidneys #C3K

No Comparative Suffering

It is tempting to let little victories slide when we are in the midst of struggles, but that is when celebrating victories mean the most. If there is nothing to celebrate, I try to find something in the darkness worth being thankful for because I need that to keep going.

As a writer, it is easy to get down on yourself or your work in the current publishing climate. It can be hostile and unforgiving territory. The long game can feel impossibly long sometimes. The small victories matter a lot. Because you will either keep going or you won't and every little boost helps.

Check out today's video on this topic.

Celebrate All Your Victories

#CaptainThreeKidneys #C3K

Your story has the power to heal yourself and heal others. You have to tell it though.

Today's video discusses this from my days of ghostwriting, my own approach to storytelling, podcasting, and my experiences sharing about my journey through kidney transplant and rejection.

Your Story Has Power ... Tell it!!!

Taking time out of my day to exercise is not my favorite thing, but today my son joined me for part of my walk and I realized there are upsides to life slowing you down and stopping you.

Today's video addresses that.

Taking Time Out of Life to Live

When you are dealing with chronic pain, illness, depression, anxiety, or recovery, it can make you feel weak and broken. It can also be a surprising source of strength for facing those same struggles today and tomorrow.

Today's video discusses this idea.

Strength in Your Weakness