Dreams of the Future

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“Wake up, my dear! You’ve been sleeping for far too long! What dream captivated you so intently, that you didn’t dare stir?”

“I dreamt of telling a story. One of hope and forgiveness. One of kindness and healing. One of adventure.”

“I’ll pour you some coffee if you would, please, tell me the rest.”

…Oh, goodness. I am a sucker for a good cup of coffee.

Although it may have appeared that I’ve been asleep at the wheel here at my blog, I can assure you that I have been pouring every ounce of effort into a project* that I am so very proud of, although, much like myself, it is a perpetual work in progress and far from perfect. After a few plot twists that life had thrown my way over the past few years, I had to figure out a new vision for the way I wanted my future to unfold. I imagine that there are a few of you reading this right now who have also had to readjust after one or two disorienting changes arrived, unannounced, at your door. But sometimes, that’s just a part of life, isn’t it?

Life is never really stagnant, but instead, it’s one change after another. We just ride the ever unfolding wave of cause and effect, reacting in one way or another, setting the course and putting into motion the next round of waves.

There are some things that seem to sneak up on you and knock you down hard.

The loss of a loved one
The death of a marriage or committed relationship
The failing of one’s health and/or wellbeing
The loss of security in one’s professional life or finances
The struggle with accepting yourself, just as you are and regardless of the opinions of others
…or any other circumstance that knocks you off of one path to place you on another. One that just so happens to be uphill… with downed trees. And overgrown and thorny brush. Oh, and did I mention the massive boulders too? Yeah. THAT path.

Here’s the good news, though; most of the time, the struggles are just passing moments. After all, my path isn’t the obstacle itself, is it?

As I was scaling the boulders placed in my way, I realized that there’s something universal about any struggle. You get knocked down and you have a choice; stay there and dwell in the loss of momentum… OR… pick yourself up, dust yourself off, acknowledge that getting the wind knocked out of you sucks, and then keep going. Maybe it’s somewhere new that you are suddenly headed. Maybe you are on the same path, but just miles from where you were moments earlier. Maybe there is no path at all, and you just have to choose each and every step on your own. Did I ever intend on traveling along this life as a struggling single parent, learning first hand about overcoming challenges that I never would have written into my future? Absolutely not.

But… I am a believer that if this is where I am right now, then there is a reason for it, and the outcome will be even greater than what I can imagine.

I gave myself a year to test that theory out, to see that if I truly believed it, then would my circumstances change. I set out a plan, adjusted the plan as needed and kept putting one foot in front of the other. And the outcome? Something did change alright. Me. Although I may not appear any different at all, the year left me transformed in ways I had not foreseen. Doors opened up for me that, when I reread what I wrote about them, I get choked up all over again. Am I still struggling? Yep. Do I still find myself occasionally mourning the loss of the future that I once had planned. Absolutely. Do I still get knocked down? Yes. But, I found a clearing in my path and now I can see just how far I’ve come. I know there will be challenges ahead, because that’s just life, but this time I can remind myself that, “I survived that,” and on the other side I found blessings and opportunities beyond what I thought was possible. I can’t help but wonder what’s waiting for me around the next bend.

So if you are finding yourself struggling with the loss of something you once valued beyond measure, then let me pour you a cup of coffee and let’s you back on track, my dear. There’s time to rest if you need it, but just remember that the view on the other side is more amazing than you can imagine!

*I took a year to execute a plan to heal from the loss of my marriage and the future that was once planned, writing about it as I went through the process. It’s not doused in bitterness and there is no villain; it’s as positive and encouraging as you would expect from me. One of these days, in the very near future, I will stop fussing with it and start the process of submitting my tale to those who can help me share it with the rest of you! In the meantime, I will gladly get back to breathing life into my blog, sharing messages of positivity, hope and encouragement with you once again. Read, comment, like, and share wildly if you feel inspired! Your engagement will be met with a mountain of gratitude from me!