Have you ever wanted something so bad you could taste it? You have worked extremely hard and fully committed yourself to it. You have gone over and beyond expectations to ensure you will obtain this treasure or gain a great opportunity. You have prayed over and over and over again about it.
You find absolutely no logical reason for things not to work out in your favor. There is no acceptable explanation for your dream not to come true. But in a blink of an eye, the dream is snatched away. The treasure is buried. The opportunity is lost. The prayers seem to go unanswered.
Now, you find yourself asking questions. Am I being punished? Did I draw the short straw? Am I the victim of some family curse? Did I miss something? What in the world happened?
I can tell you what happened in one word-LIFE. Unfortunately, there is no GPS system on the journey called life. Your cell phone can not warn you about the twist, turns, detours and risks that lye ahead. It happens. Life throws you a curve ball. During these times, we must focus on the facts and not the emotions.
Ok, I will be fair. We are only human. After a reasonable amount of time for mourning your disappointment or loss, sitting in your pajamas eating ice cream out of the container and avoiding interaction with anyone who declines to attend the pity party, then we can deal with the facts. Please note, I said a reasonable amount of time. If you are still in the same emotional state after six months, you may want to seek professional help. I am not kidding.
Emotions cannot change facts. However, facts can change your emotions. Be warned, an extended period of uncontrolled or unmanaged emotions can contribute to the creation of a new unexpected problem called stress. Facts are – stress can kill you!
Five years ago I was living what I considered my best life. Married, retired, starting a business, raising my sons and anticipating nothing but blue skies. Unfortunately, that would not be the case. Or at least, not how I had imagined it. On May 28, 2014 that dream of blue skies with my husband ended. A long life together was snatched away in a blink of an eye. At 10 a.m. we spoke on the phone. I hung up the phone thinking all was well, and I would see him at 2 p.m. that afternoon.
At 2 p.m., I was in the emergency room and a widow. Adding the heartache, I am now on a journey I could have never, ever imagined or planned for; parenting alone. So, what do we do? Face the facts with strength and courage. Because, “It Ain’t Over!” No matter how bad it looks, if you have breath in your body, it is not over yet.
Consider the following: If you were scheduled to take a flight and suddenly found out it was delayed or canceled, do you say, “I am never going to fly again.” I imagine probably not. That is the same with life. Don’t give up living because there appeared an unexpected roadblock, detour or washed out road. Just accept the facts and keep it moving. The human spirit is resilient.
The journey continues. Parenting alone has been more than a notion. However, being a Mom is still my greatest joy. Even during those times it seems difficult, blue skies still manage to arrive. Facts are – tomorrow is not promised. So, enjoy the moment you are in right now!
Until next time, enjoy the journey.
Joyce E.