A Time of Great Upheaval

It feels as though the planets must be shifting within the universe. It seems that so, so many people that touch my world are going through a time of transition.

Change comes in many forms.

We are constantly living in a time of flux. Small changes happen to each and every one of us every day, as we absorb, reflect and react to the myriad of life experiences. A smile, a phrase, a touch, watching a child, watching the world go by. It touches us.

There are other times when we create a state of change within our lives. A conscious chain of events that takes an extraordinary amount of energy within. There are times that we are fortunate and we are voluntarily looking to tweak our life a little bit here and there.

Other times, these changes are thrust upon us and we are simply reacting. Neither is easy. But if we are fortunate enough to feel like we are in the driver's seat to initiate a change, we should try and appreciate that we have the feeling of being in control of our destiny.

Sometimes the ultimate change is happening to a close friend or family member, which leaves their support system in a place where they must react to the ever changing situation at hand. To be on the outside, looking in and doing as much as one can do to assist another is one of the hardest places to be. As a parent, I don't know how many times that I would have taken on the pain or sickness of my child in order to alleviate their distress. It is harder to watch someone else endure hardships than it is to take it upon yourself.

Then there is loss. When the gift of life has been taken from someone we know and love, our world is altered forever. We have no choice in the matter. We have lost all control. We must cherish the memories, band together and rally on. There is no other way to go.

There are times when we must cocoon ourselves up to steel ourselves up for the changes ahead. We don't know what will emerge when we are released from that cocoon.

If we can find the best in a bad situation ... if we can look forward to the future and see light ... if we can harvest our memories and turn them into something tangible ... if we can cherish the here and now ...

... we have the hope of emerging from that cocoon in the form of a butterfly. With wings to fly, a freer spirit and a quiet beauty to behold.

May the metamorphosis turn you into something bigger, better and more than you were before.

I went to sleep last night with these thoughts in my mind. This is the forwarded email that I received from a friend this morning. Some words of wisdom from Maya Angelou:

'I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.'

'I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.'

'I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.'

'I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life.'

'I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.'

'I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back...'

'I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision..'

'I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.'

'I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug or just a friendly pat on the back...'

'I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.'

'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'

~ Maya Angelou ~