Change

Take it Easy. God is in Control. (Photo credit: sgs_1019)

Changes are inevitable. Sometimes they are gradual like progressing from a cane to a walker and then to a wheelchair. Sometimes they are sudden such as one day you are working and somewhat mobile and functional, and the next day, you can’t get up out of your chair or bed without help.

The gradual you can cope with, because time allows you to get accustomed to the change and you learn how to adapt and adjust. The sudden and unexpected is a shock because it comes without warning or the ability to adjust immediately. The abruptness brings an overwhelming inability to see past the moment and the heaviness of despair.

We all have moments like this, whether it is a sudden death or accident, or the result of a test from a doctor who tells you there is nothing they can do to help you. You have to get past the shock, past the disbelief, and past realizing that your help doesn’t come from strangers but from your own strength to move forward and your faith in your God. As adults we are used to being in charge, of making decisions every day that take us in one direction or another, but when the path is totally unclear, you have to depend on your faith in God to carry you past the moment.

Your world becomes smaller, condensed. The hours are the same, but they somehow seem shorter. There is getting up and adapting to a changed environment and then there is therapy and the coping with sifting and changing emotions. Prayer becomes a bigger part of each day. There is the petition for guidance to places you have no way of envisioning and thanksgiving for small successes. It is a new way of living that has its own goals and satisfactions that have nothing to do with fame or money.

The journey has begun. Now we have to see where it leads. You are welcome to tag along.