My mother always said, “Everything happens for a reason.” It took me about forty-eight years and my son’s severe mental illness and a hurricane rescue and rebuilding a flooded home to finally understand. In the king-sized bed of room 331 in the La Quinta I called home for ten months, an epiphany struck me out of the clear blue.
Our Struggles Strengthen Us.
Okay, maybe my epiphany struck in part due to the book I had been reading—The Gift of Crisis: Finding your best self in the worst of times by psychologist Susan Mecca. Dr. Mecca suggests the following exercise: Imagine it is six months after your crisis has passed. Your best friend is talking to you about what s/he admired most about you during the crisis. What do you hope s/he will tell you?
There in my hotel room—strength, grace, and love popped into my mind. That’s how I want to be remembered. When my crisis passed, and we moved home once more, I understood one of life’s mysteries—why everything happens. I carried the epiphany with me.
How do you want to be remembered?
Thanks so much for reading this post in my first ever A-Z blogging challenge! As I hover at home this April, I’ll be seeking the good in every day. Join me anytime and click below for past A-Z posts.
C is for Champagne and Chanel No. 5
Faith + Gratitude = Peace + Hope 
I want to be remembered as someone who cared for others that had a kind heart. I believe my entire being is to help others. I don’t believe everything happens for a reason but alot of things do! Great post my friend 💕🦋
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I see your kind heart in your posts. Thanks for visiting this morning! Have a great day, Arnetta!
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Hmm. Good question. Ask me again sometime and I’ll think about it. Maybe as spreading light. Not sure.
E is for energy. 2 kinds. The energy that sustains the world and is our energy and life. And the energy to do things. I’ve started (6 months ago) taking a protein vitamin shake and I definitely have more stamina than I ever had which I’m super grateful for.
Love, light, and glitter
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I thought about Energy and Eliza! I started a protein shake last summer, too, but I failed to keep it up. I could use the energy. I suppose I’ll go make coffee. You definitely spread light, my dear.
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Thanks! I would recommend the shakes… I keep it up because although I didn’t see any difference at first and see no difference when I don’t for a few days I’ve seen the difference. A few weeks after I started taking it my mother saw the difference before I did. And when I had no energy I realised I hadn’t had it for a week. The next time I had no energy it was when I hadn’t had it for 2 weeks. So I really do see a difference. Of course it could just be placebic 🙂 although I don’t think so because I was taking it more for the multivitamin aspect and didn’t expect to see a difference. It’s not so much energy, but stamina. That I can continue through a full day. It hasn’t made me need less sleep. Unless it has. Oh. Never realised that. Hmm. Okay, that’s my recommendation for it :). I wouldn’t recommend specific brands although I’m sticking to the one I started with even though it’s so expensive. I’m sure cheaper stuff is around.
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I think I’ll add mine back in. Enjoy today, Eliza!
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It’s the four “Noble” Buddhist truths. Thing, all things, rise and fall. All I need to do is be here for the experience knowing that transience is Gods way. How I am with others now has my attention. How I’m viewed in the future will hinge on how I am now.
Thanks for this!
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All things rise and fall. I love that. I’ll try to remember the next time I fall.
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Our struggles do, indeed, strengthen us.
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I lifted that line from church, but it was a few more years before I connected it to “Everything happens for a reason.” Thanks for the affirmation, Rosaliene!
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Sorry crystal your page isn’t opening for me.
On Mon, Apr 6, 2020 at 5:06 AM Faith + Gratitude = Peace + Hope wrote:
> Crystal Byers posted: ” My mother always said, “Everything happens for a > reason.” It took me about forty-eight years and my son’s severe mental > illness and a hurricane rescue and rebuilding a flooded home to finally > understand. In the king-sized bed of room 331 in the La Quint” >
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I think I know what happened, and I hope I fixed it. Thanks for trying and letting me know, Dave!
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I agree our struggles strengthen us and help us learn to survive our worst trials. I want to be remembered as someone who was there with a smile on my face for anyone who needed me. Thanks for a thought-provoking post.
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Nothing like so good ol’ experience to shape us into our best selves. Thanks for visiting, Lori!
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That’s a really good question to help move forward.
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I like to pass along things that have helped me. Thank you, Kathy!
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