Replacing the Unknown With Perception

“Maybe you’re fighting something you don’t like today.  Why don’t you have a new perspective?  God wouldn’t have you there if you didn’t need it.  It may not be good, but he knows how to use it for your good.” -Joel Osteen

And so, it turns out that my body reacts gracefully to anesthesia.  Still a little off, but I’m here. And in even better news, the unknowns are now known.  What was found had no real cause for concern and it’s no longer lingering.  We knew this would be the best case scenario. We hoped for this outcome but in no way did we think it was possible considering my history.  God is good.

I am diligently aware that my surgery was a simple one; one that is done almost robotically.  What I was not aware of was the outcome.  And that was enough to put my mind into overdrive.  Today, as I sit here with a much clearer mind, I realize that life is all about unknowns.  We don’t plan to miscarry the baby that we had hoped and prayed for.  And we certainly don’t plan to have difficulty getting pregnant in the first place.  We don’t plan to have surgery because the doctor found an unidentifiable mass on one of our organs.  We unquestionably do not plan for our health to unexpectedly decline or for people that we love to leave us.  We don’t plan to have a bad day and we may not plan to overreact about our given circumstances.  What I am trying to say is that life happens.  Bad things happen, every single day.  Finding a healthy way to cope with your given circumstances will be a huge turning point in your life.  For me, initially I have meltdown and I am probably more hard on myself than I deserve.  I look to my husband to tell me that everything is OK; that I am OK.  I don’t always believe him at first, but I must say that he doesn’t give up on me.  Once I am smacked in the face with reality, I am finally able to put things into perspective.  Here is what I have to offer to you today:

We are going to struggle and challenge will continually present itself throughout our short lives.  We will endure unexpected, or sometimes expected, pain and it will not feel good.  We are going to fall down and we will likely feel like we can’t get back up.  But we will.  And the pain won’t last very long.  These difficulties are trying to teach us something so look and watch closely as life unfolds. Don’t miss an opportunity to grow.  I think that we must remind ourselves that everything that we endure in life, good and bad, is only temporary.  I often forget that when life comes crashing down, the pieces eventually fall back together.  Sometimes I allow myself to wallow in the broken pieces.  I feel so out of control and scattered that I want to crawl out of my own skin.  I forget just like you.  I am my own worst enemy at times, but eventually my own inner strength surprises me. Each new experience in my life provides insight and strength that I never knew existed.  I am learning to embrace the unknown, because life is full of it.  The world is constantly changing and tomorrow’s are uncertain.  Time is ticking so why not just live in the now.  Live in the present moments today; the little moments.  We can cross the bridge when we get to it.  So for now, let the unknown provide us with new insight.

I will tell you that if I had let my fear of the unknown consume me for the entire week before my surgery I may have missed a really great time during our family outing the weekend before and I certainly would have brought everyone else down with me.  Your negativity reflects on others around you, so be cautious of your attitude.  You cannot resist the inevitable; instead you must find the courage to face the inevitable trials that await you.  Our trials are not over.  But our most recent trials have become our triumph.  We can face anything and we are ready to take on our new journey.  I am much stronger today than I was yesterday.  It’s amazing what one positive thought can do for the negative mind.  Keep reaching my friends, you too will be rewarded in the end.