As I prepare to celebrate 50 years on this Earth in a few short months, I have been particularly conscious of where I am in my life right now, because unfortunately, things didn’t turn out the way I planned when I imagined what my adult life would be like 30+ years ago.
Although I realize that circumstance is true for several others when they have that “coming-to-Jesus" moment of approaching 50 years old, at least I can say I remain vital and open to being a perpetual work-in-progress. As those of us on the path know all too well ... I can’t control what happens to me, but I CAN control my reaction to it – and the meaning I give it.
The key to remaining positive and productive is to handle challenges with grace and wisdom of experience. I have observed that things happen in waves sometimes and that there are no dress rehearsals. This is it. What is happening now is what we are given to work with.
It is sometimes challenging and sometimes effortless. Either way, like Forrest Gump said, “We never know what we’re gonna get.” That said, it’s important to be mindful in the moment and cherish the good that comes our way, although ironically, we can best reflect and learn only after things have already happened when the time has passed.
This year, I was gifted with a soul-shaking experience. It could have gone one of two ways – I could have sunk into a black hole of depression, or I could have seized this as an opportunity to become the next-best version of myself because of the experience … and even help others.
I chose the latter.
And, my Friends, this is the Power of Life = our God-given Free Will.
“The purpose of life is to create your Self anew, in the next grandest version of the greatest vision ever you held about Who You Are. It is to announce and become, express and fulfill experience and know your true Self.” — Neale Donald Walsch
Dawn Staszak
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