The storms are happening in our lives! Whether it’s literally a storm of a hurricane touching down and completely displacing you and your family (I sincerely hope this is not the case), or the storms that you and I face in terms of the unexpected, unplanned events like a cancer diagnosis or a team member who decided unexpectedly to leave their job, it’s a lot. It’s a lot to handle for anyone. That’s why they call them disasters. Whatever storm you are facing, please know that you can be strong, and resilient, and you can get through it. It seems like the larger the disaster, the more people come out of the woodwork to help. But what about the storms in your life that don’t make the five o’clock news? You still have the right to feel the pain of the calm before the storm, the hit when the storm lands, and the aftermath of the storm. One thing that will help you be strong and resilient to the storm that you are going through is this: honor your own, unique situation. I had a lovely meeting with a dear friend today who asked me about my Frenchie’s cancer treatment, and she is going through cancer in her family as well. I immediately said, “Well, we don’t have children, so it’s not as bad as what you went through.” She lovingly reminded me that there is no need to compare pain, discount trauma, to minimize it’s affect on you. It’s okay to feel the frustration, the pain, the helplessness. And, the best way to no longer feel those things is to reach out to people and let them know. Practice self-care by relieving yourself of some of the burden you carry around. And, if you don’t have anyone to share your pain with, then call me. Today’s message is, there is no judgement on how you are being affected by the storms of life. There’s no need to rank your storm against others. Whatever your storm is, you can get through this. You are tough. You’ve got this.
Have a great day and stay safe!
Your Head Usher,
Marilyn
