Broken Down Trucks, Moody Donkeys, & How to Shift Your Narrative

Photo Credit: Author

I took this photo near the end of an incredibly long, and disappointing day, which, as the popped hood of my truck indicates, only got worse.

The mood was lighter than one might have thought. After retelling our story later, the response was an empathetic “Oh no! That’s terrible!” or some form of verbal pity.

It had been an early start for a hopeful and anxious drive, clashes with powers that be (they won), a discouraging drive back, a broken-down car, a phone that wouldn’t charge, and a mechanic that wasn’t home.

But look closely at this photo. Look at the faces of my passengers. Pondering, calm, patient, amused.

I snapped the shot, and I can assure you, my mood was just as light and jovial as theirs seem to be. But the truth is, the moods could have flipped and gone the other way in a snap.

Behind us, a baying and agitated donkey halted the descent of any gloomy silence. Muddy pigs meandered along the curve of the dirt road. Chickens pecked. Our dog was sweet and calm. The setting was otherwise peaceful, and business as usual for the rural Nicaraguan town we had broken down in.

It was heading into the 10th hour in the heat of a day gone wrong, but reflecting back, there had been so much to keep our…