"You must have the capacity to endure all things."
My meditation prompt this morning seemed a bit large to wrap my consciousness around.
It is so easy to endure joy ñ such as the excitement I felt at the Colorado Women of Influence Women of Vision Gala last Wednesday night. I saw Heather Janssen honored as mother, publisher, woman. I saw Heidi Olinger honored for building a business model that creates self-awareness and self-esteem in young girls and tweens. I saw Temple Grandin honored for inspiring us to greater heights as human beings in our treatment of animals Ö and one another.
It is so easy to rethink those moments and smile to myself, happy for them.
Ah, but to endure sorrow, that is another matter.
To hear my Friend say she has stage 3 cancer and see her go through surgery, tests, chemo and radiation. To hear my Friend say she has discovered a lump and see her go through a surgery, checking lymph nodes, chemo and radiation. To hear my Friend's 4 year-old daughter has died, knowing the heart-rending ache she and her husband must now bear.
These pains are much more difficult to shoulder. Endure? How? I know hearts are breaking all around me - how do I face this carnage?
I force myself to breathe in-2-3-4. And then to breathe out-2-3-4, just as I learned in childbirth classes a lifetime ago. Slow down my breathing. Slow down my tears. Slow down the wild beating of my heart.
Do I have the capacity to endure all things?† Really?
I must. How else can I help those dear friends, than to continue to accomplish the day to day tasks required of me? Of what good is it to collapse now?
No, I must accept what cannot be changed and go forward.† Be at the ready in case I may be of any small assistance.
Nothing says this will be easy or without doubt.
But one step at a time ... forward I go.
I write to honor sweet little girl Samantha Schichtel.
Thank you, Maryjo, for expressing so much of the sorrow and and the hope that we are all feeling. How often we wish things were different from what they are. Acceptance is diffult. It is our friendships that pull us through. Thank you for enabling me to have such dear friends. I feel so priviledged to have every one in our writers group as my true and loving friends. I am so blessed to have each of you in my life.
Thanks for your kind reply, Phyl.
Yes, we find the strength to endure all things with God in our hearts because of Love. That spark of life between us, makes even the events of disease, death and devestation so much more than bad things. Years ago we committed to making words together and I AM SO PROUD that you used your words to encourage and pave the way for these Women of Vision and Influence to be noticed. You done good, dear MJ. And what you did/wrote will live on for many years because it was done in Love. I am so blessed, too, to be in this with you and the other wenches Under the Cuckoo Clock....we shall persevere.
We do have an amazing capacity when we walk in Love, don't we? Ranks right up there with birth, mountains and sunsets as God's "Opus" for me. These women of vision inspire me with there verve and imagination and sheer guts!
🙂
Life is a miracle, a gift, an unpredictable and uncontrollable moment in time. Every day is a challenge. All we can do is hope that tomorrow will be a little easier to deal with than the day before.
Yes. Hope lives large in our hearts, and that makes all the difference.
So insightful and true. It is hard to watch friends endure grief and pain and then go on with day-to-day living. I can hear your voice in your writing. It was like you read it aloud to me.
Thanks for your kind words, Shelley. Together we'll all get through these tough days.