Many of us have had a life filled with hardships and tragedies. I look back on mine and see a path littered with potholes, some the size and depth of the Grand Canyon. Some of the things I have experienced I cannot share, because doing so would betray people in my life that I love. I know, of course, there are scores of people who have had to face more adversity than I’ll ever know, and I send my love to them. The purpose behind today’s post is not to evoke pity or to start some sort of “woe is me” or “whose life sucks the most” contest. No, I share what follows with you so that you can shift the perception you might have on your own life of hardships. Every joy, every tragedy, every challenge, every gift has its place. These all have a purpose in our destinies and perhaps those of countless others. Each is an opportunity, a step in the right direction. So I encourage everyone to embrace adversity as you would a child you adore. They are treasures, in spite of the pain they often bring us.
Channeling Transcript
Me: You know, I look at my life, and I see that I’ve been through sooooo many hardships. It’s just incredible. Losing a baby, losing you, Erik, Hepatitis C from being stabbed by a drug addict in the ER, a very difficult childhood, kids with handicaps, I could go on and on, but my question is—why???? I’ve had one tragedy after the next since I was a little girl. What is the friggin’ deal here? And when will this all end, if it will?
Jamie: He takes a deep breath and he rubs his hands together.
Erik: Mom, these tragedies you feel like you’re collecting—
Me: Um hm.
Erik: You’re not a magnet for them.
Me: Oh, God, I hope not. Sure feels like that sometimes.
Erik: I want you to know that. You’re not a magnet; you’re not calling these to you. Sometimes God knows that a person can handle tragedy and stand up and teach about it, talk about it, face it. Confronting, handling, pushing through these tragedies time after time helps not only alleviate that person’s own pain, but the pain of hundreds of others.
Me: So are you saying this was part of the spiritual plan I made for myself along with others before this life?
Erik: Yes, you always planned to be in the public eye, Mom. And to be in the public eye, you had to understand many, uh, a multitude (Jamie laughs and comments on his word switch) of pains and sufferings of other people, and to do that, you have to walk in the person’s shoes first.
Me: Geez, couldn’t someone have just sent me a freakin’ memo? I mean, come on!
Erik (laughing): No, Mom. Anyway, this is what you’ve been allowed to do, what you’ve allowed yourself to do.
Me: I guess it’s true, because when I look back on when I was younger, I wasn’t nearly as patient, and I didn’t feel the deep sense of understanding and compassion that I do now. So I guess these tragedies have softened me up a bit, I can tell you that!
Now, all I need is a bumper sticker for my car that reads: “Have you hugged your life today?” Life is truly a wonderful blessing, warts and all.
By the way, Erik told me, through Jamie, that the being by my bedside that night (see the entry entitled “OMG Moment”) was actually a blog member’s grandmother! She came to thank me for helping her granddaughter. Erik says I’ll be receiving many more such visits, so I’ll keep you posted. Erik also had mentioned she was an aunt from a past life, I think? If so, we’re related!
