Every human being can relate to some kind of challenge or obstacle that prompts them to ask, "how will I get through it?" In fact, some challenges can seem to appear to last longer than you would like. Now, if you are the kind of person who is waiting for some experience to be over, could you be missing something? Maybe your current situation is yet to become one of your greatest teachers. Are you willing to think again?
One good friend of mine cared for her ailing husband at home over many years and festive seasons. He slowly died of Parkinson's Disease. She was in her seventies and he was close in age. She dealt with his incontinence, his gradual loss of memory, motor control and more humourus escapades. As a retired electrician, his illness prompted him to rewire things. At one point, pushing the front doorbell turned on a light. She confided she neared what she presumed was her wit's end, then, she transcended that. She found ways to get through it.
Another friend of mine has learned what it means to hit rock bottom. The end of the year did not initially evoke joy. His mind was on unemployment and fear of responsibilities he would not be unable to manage. He is evolving to realize he is capable of getting through anything based on what he decides he will. That does not mean things are easy for him. But, he is realizing many things he thought matter do not really matter. He is realizing that getting through it involves accepting things as they are and doing the best he can. How he thinks matters.
A member of my family has has her life changed by serious illness. During the holidays, getting a tree decorated mattered less than finding the strength to get out of bed and downstairs. Juggling office and home resposibilities went by the wayside. She faced increasing swelling, immobility and other unexpected internal discomforts. The festive season was not about presents, but rethinking gratitude for living, for visits from loved ones. For her, how to get through it has included denial, anger, frustration with losing control and avoiding physical reality. Sometimes selective ignorance, frailty and fatigue become close friends that serve an unknown purpose. To begin to lose independence while you still have faculties is a humbling lesson for pride and refining priorities. Still, good is found wherever you choose to find it.
Whatever challenges you face at the moment, perception may require a certain openness. People around you will not view their conditions the same way you view yours. You will learn what you choose, remember what you choose, forget what feels comfortable. People reconnect with the Divine or Forces outiside themselves to cope with inner storms. Challenges invite you to get-to-know parts of yourself and listen more.
Amidst it all, to realize you are loved and to recall how to love yourself, ultimately help you get through anything. Learning experiences are everywhere. They begin as a state of mind.