Journey of Life

As I lie here half sitting, typing, and thinking, my mind reflects on what is important in life which is those who you care about and care about you. I have been forced recently, with my hands behind my back, to face and deal with concepts of death and dying. I met a middle-aged woman at work whose mother had passed away two weeks prior. She would cry off and on having buried her only a week ago; it was still a fresh wound. I had almost tried to turn her away because she was not in our zip code catchment area. However, by default I had to service her anyway. Now I was in a funky mood to start with but once she began to unravel and uncover her layers to me through her tears I shed those feelings. I began to no longer focus on myself, and my positive energies shifted toward encouraging her and lifting her spirits.

I joked with the woman about her mother’s ways which had similarities to Madea. The woman told me it was the first time she had laughed in two weeks. Whenever she began to cry she would apologize. I told her not to apologize and not let anyway make her feel like she should be sorry for grieving her loss. She asked what advice I had for her. I told her to surround herself with positive people who understand or even just will listen to her talk about how she feels. She stated that her boyfriend told her she was getting on his nerves. I encouraged her to take time for herself and that sometimes we need space apart from those who can not support us and give us what we need at that moment. It is our responsibility to “demand”, and I use that loosely, what we need from others. When we realize that they will not, or are not capable to, fulfill our needs we then become responsible for our happiness out of the relationship.

She called out to God during our meeting to help her with her grief. She shared that she had even considered suicide due to her depression. She had all the necessary resources and I encouraged her to be sure to call the crisis center again if those feelings revisited. I confirmed that the devil will use our moments of despair and frustration to attempt to push us further into the valley. We all will be in a valley at some point in our lives, and if we reflect back, we will see we have been in one before. Realize that the fact you can reflect on a prior valley means you are still standing, likely stronger then you were before. Reach out to God and grow closer to Him in prayer, study, song, and worship. Even fast if you feel it is necessary. God may not move the mountain but He will sustain you through a renewed perseverance and increased strength. Be encouraged.

The journey of life is full of valleys, but it is full of mountains too.

We go down low but we don’t sink.

We climb and goals we reach.

We celebrate each victory

We reflect back & see

WE SURVIVED.

God's love & peace to you. ~Beautiful Thought
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