Life can feel like a litany of lessons learned. I
bet I could fill a library with my lessons.
A lot of what I’ve had to learn came wrapped in
suffering, fear, uncertainty. I resisted hearing the messages because of the
hurt and sadness that accompanied those lessons.
Sure, I’m old enough to have acquired some coping
mechanisms. Things like perseverance and patience. Optimism and faith. By this
point in time, we’re all pretty good at managing the tough stuff.
Regardless, I’ll still put up a fight with some of
that “necessary learning.” Shake my fist in the air when another unforeseen
event brings one more unplanned thing I apparently need to know.
Arguing With “What Is” Feels
Self-Defeating
Returning to peace when life hands you chaos can be
challenging.
I want to be grateful for the little gems of wisdom
I’ve gathered along the way. And, more importantly, I’d also like to soothe my
heart with a balm of gratitude for the hard things I’ve had to learn.
A Simple Activity Takes the Sting Out
of Being a Student
Practicing a simple activity is both a glaringly
obvious and extremely helpful idea. Here’s how it goes:
Close your eyes and take several deep
breaths.
Quietly list all the things you know for
sure.
Allow yourself to lean into each lesson
you know you’ve learned.
Embrace what you’ve come to realize. Notice
how you feel.
What You Discover Might Amaze You
Here are a few things I know for sure:
- Stillness
is a sacred place. - A good laugh lightens any weighty problem.
- Setting
compassionate boundaries is a necessary form of self-care. - Real
friends will challenge you but never abandon you. - Rest is
not a luxury. It’s a requirement. - Heartfelt connections
nourish the soul. - Courage
is something I’ve earned by walking through the fire as it rages. - Death
takes many forms. Some of them hurt us almost as much as the physical kind. - No event
defines us. With any luck, we eventually realize they all happen for our
highest good. - Some
things just break. Hearts, lives, worlds. And sometimes all we can do is cry as
we wait for the healing that will follow. - We can’t
control anything except our own reactions. And that’s a relief. - My body
is a trusted messenger, longing to be heard. I’m listening. - Becoming
a wise woman doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten how to play. My Inner Self gets
younger every day. - And Thank you may truly be the only prayer we
need to say.
When I sink into these lessons, my lessons, I’m comforted, surprised, and enlightened. All in the
same breath.
I’m indebted to life for the opportunities it’s always
giving me to grow, to learn… however difficult the messages are to receive.
And finding a way to that gratitude might be the most
valuable lesson of all.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
What lessons are you grateful for no
matter how difficult they were to learn? Do you identify with any of mine? Let’s
have a conversation!
