Have you ever been in a situation that was so bad that it brought you to your knees? Or, it made you want to scream out loud or cry hopelessly into a pillow? I think at some point everyone has been in a situation like that, whether it’s from a loss of a family member or friend, divorce, job loss, or whatever it may be. Life can change in an instant and throw you for a loop. Just look at what we all are dealing with right now as a country in trying to navigate through this awful pandemic.
During the holidays, a very dear friend of mine, her husband, her son, and his girlfriend got into a bad car accident. Information about the accident and a GoFundMe page (set up to help with some medical expenses) was texted to me. At first, I didn’t believe it was true. I thought it was some kind of scam or something. After investigating and finally getting through to her husband, I found out it was true. My heart sank. I wasn’t sure how to help them. They live hours away in another state.
Since this happened, I’ve been able to speak with my friend. She told me everything that happened. While trying to avoid an accident on the freeway, they became part of the accident. I saw pictures of her vehicle. Honestly, I don’t know how they made it through, but they did. They have a long road of healing ahead of them, but they will all heal. One of the things that struck me was how grateful and how appreciative they all are. They’re grateful to be alive and very thankful for all the help and love being sent their way. This is what they’re focusing on while healing and trying to navigate dealing with insurance companies, lawyers, etc. I look up to them and how they’re coping.
I live a life of gratitude, but I can only hope that I would handle a life-changing situation like that with the same amount of grace. After finding out about the accident, it made me look at my life from a different perspective. Yes, I have things that I have to deal with in my life, but now I see them differently. You know the phrase — it could be worse. And, as I stated earlier, life can change in an instant.
We recently had our Women Helping Others Advance (WHOA) group meeting. Our topic was “putting the new year in perspective”. We spoke about how we may still have hard choices and pivots in the months ahead, but we can look at the new year as a year of possibilities. We can create new energy, new solutions, new opportunities, and maybe new directions. We can change our perspective/our outlook on what lies ahead for us as individuals and as a country.
Every year, I choose a word to focus on for the year. This year my word is “perspective”. What word will you choose?
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