(Photo Credit: Hannah Caterino)
I love this picture. A week ago I took it upside down accidentally because the “sun was in my eyes”. (Really!) The sunset itself was sparkling, but I loved the photo more when I noticed the clouds at my feet.
By the way, this is Lake Champlain, near my home.
Two days ago I decided to write a post about the photo. Without knowing exactly what I was going to say, I knew that the title was going to be “when things get turned around”. The point was to emphasize that life moves in cycles, and even when things seem backwards or upside down, the emphasis is to hold your center and realize all will fall into place when the cycle completes.
But then, things got turned around. I suddenly had no ability to use Microsoft Word, which is where I first write my blog posts. I suddenly had no ability to edit any previous Word document in my laptop.
It turns out the version of Microsoft that I downloaded from a community college I worked for three years ago had a license that expired, unbeknownst to me. I’m sure I agreed to all kinds of conditions, but who reads those things?
It took 5 hours, and during that time between phone calls and Facebook cries for help, I realized I was being tested to exercise the very thing I was going to write about. However, here I was, not able to write about it.
What about access to my resume, all papers I wrote for graduate school, my notes from being trained as a coach, personal contacts, or being able to write another document in my life? The award for biggest Anxiety queen was within my grasp, and all I did was pull my hair for hours at my kitchen table.
When things get turned around, when it feels like the carpet is being ripped out from under our feet, it’s important to remember the cyclical nature of the universe. Whether it’s something relatively small, like software locking you out, or is as large as your body’s health failing, or even the loss of a loved one… Faith in the cyclical nature of evolution is where my faith is.
And yes I stopped pulling my hair and literally emanated trust.
The visual reminder of cycles is why I love this photo. It gives me the feeling of falling down into the sky, so suddenly my skin might fly off—complete freedom mixed with a little terror and nausea.
The important question to ask myself during any moment of setback is: What can I learn from this? …. While letting go of the rest. And having faith that everything will fall into an even better place, once settled.
Dorothy’s adventure to Oz would never have happened without the cycle of the tornado. Sometimes falling backwards, or down into the sky, or up into the sky, is the hero’s journey. Temporary chaos is often our small piece of a much larger system at work, and it’s our job to navigate with courage, faith, love, and an open mind.
When things get turned around, in proportion to the challenge it hands you, let the humility of it directly speak to your faith. Let the exasperation of it bring the calm of surrender. I have been there with my health for two years.
Every situation carries different weight—and if it’s a good day, things going backward (“screwing up”) are a source of mere frustration and nothing much heavier. And if it’s a really good day, things might find their way back to their rightful place, and we might find ourselves typing into the latest version of Microsoft Word after all. =)
I love this picture. A week ago I took it upside down accidentally because the “sun was in my eyes”. (Really!) The sunset itself was sparkling, but I loved the photo more when I noticed the photo is upside down.
Two days ago I decided to write a post about the photo. Without knowing exactly what I was going to say, I knew that the title was going to be “when things get turned around”. The point was to emphasize that life moves in cycles, and even when things seem backwards or upside down, the emphasis is to hold your center and realize all will fall into place when the cycle completes.
But then, things got turned around. I suddenly had no ability to use Microsoft Word, which is where I first write my blog posts. I suddenly had no ability to edit any previous Word document in my laptop.
It turns out the version of Microsoft that I downloaded from a community college I worked for three years ago had a license that expired, unbeknownst to me. I’m sure I agreed to all kinds of conditions, but who reads those things?
It took 5 hours, and during that time between phone calls and Facebook cries for help, I realized I was being tested to exercise the very thing I was going to write about. However, here I was, not able to write about it.
What about access to my resume, all papers I wrote for graduate school, my notes from being trained as a coach, personal contacts, or being able to write another document in my life? The award for biggest Anxiety queen was within my grasp, and all I did was pull my hair for hours at my kitchen table.
When things get turned around, when it feels like the carpet is being ripped out from under our feet, it’s important to remember the cyclical nature of the universe. Whether it’s something relatively small, like software locking you out, or is as large as your body’s health failing, or even the loss of a loved one… Faith in the cyclical nature of evolution is where my faith is.
And yes I stopped pulling my hair and literally emanated trust.
The visual reminder of cycles is why I love this photo. It gives me the feeling of falling down into the sky, so suddenly my skin might fly off—complete freedom mixed with a little terror and nausea.
The important question to ask myself during any moment of setback is: What can I learn from this? …. While letting go of the rest. And having faith that everything will fall into an even better place, once settled.
Dorothy’s adventure to Oz would never have happened without the cycle of the tornado. Sometimes falling backwards, or down into the sky, or up into the sky, is the hero’s journey. Temporary chaos is often our small piece of a much larger system at work, and it’s our job to navigate with courage, faith, love, and an open mind.
When things get turned around, in proportion to the challenge it hands you, let the humility of it directly speak to your faith. Let the exasperation of it bring the calm of surrender. I have been there with my health for two years.
My the grace of faith be with you in times like these.
Every situation carries different weight—and if it’s a good day, things going backward (“screwing up”) are a source of mere frustration and nothing much heavier. And if it’s a really good day, things might find their way back to their rightful place, and we might find ourselves typing into the latest version of Microsoft Word after all. =)
I’d love to hear any meaningful lessons you learned when things turned around, fell down, “screwed up”, for you– please post or email me!
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