Miracles Around The Bend

Does it seem to you like there are a lot of changes in your life? They say that 2012 may not be the end of the world, just the end of the world as we know it. Isn't that reassuring? In addition to drastic changes occurring almost daily, I'm frequently hearing about people meeting an untimely death, some of whom have been struggling a long time and others who seem (from outside appearances at least) like they may be off course. With all the shifting going on lately, it seems as if the earth itself may be screaming, “Shift or get off the planet!” Could all challenges we face be a spiritual invitation to change? Changes – and changing – are really tough. There is no easy way around it. It just involves getting up each day and putting one foot in front of the other and walking through whatever comes.

I received a newsletter from a psychologist and author named, Susan B. Apollon. In the letter, she wrote about the emotional stages that we go through when dealing with change. Apollon wrote:

"With every change we experience there is always a period of letting go of the familiar and the comfortable, followed by a period of uncertainty and, very often, grief. Whether it be a loved one who has transitioned, a job that has been lost, a marriage that has dissolved, a home that we must leave, or even one of our children going off to college, all change requires a period of adjustment to our new circumstances--an adjustment to a space that was once filled and is now seemingly empty. And, as difficult as these adjustments are for some of us, this is the time that miracles often become part of our lives; if we will only open ourselves up to the beauty of the unknown by embracing the very personal experience of letting go". 

This was a bit startling because it felt as if she was talking to me.  All of the above mentioned changes have occurred in my life recently.  My mother passed away in April; my job changed; my divorce was finalized; I moved twice; and my only daughter (and sometimes my best friend) moved hundreds of miles away.

With all that upheaval and uncertainty, miracles can't be too far behind. Does it matter if we make life changes voluntarily through careful deliberation or if we are forced to change because of what seems like random occurrences? My Guess is, not too much. It always requires a period of adjustment which is fraught with ups and downs. What is really going on when life-changing, unexpected stuff happens? Why does it seem like everybody is experiencing life-altering challenges? Some people say that there are no such thing as accidents or coincidences. It seems to me that there is a universal consciousness and that consciousness is saying, “Come on people we’ve been playing it safe for too long. Life is supposed to be grand. Let’s stop being complacent and get out there and really live.” Deep down, we know that living a life that vacillates between okay and intolerable is just not good enough. Because we have free will, we can go through life choosing the safest path we know but usually that path is not the most fulfilling. Perhaps when “s--- happens,” it’s really our spirit guide answering our subtle prayers for something better. We are left with no choice but to adjust to the change. Sometimes that means starting all over.

A friend was telling me about a beautiful hydrangea that was so vibrant and healthy that people stopped to ask about her secret.  She said that it was an ordinary plant until her neighbor ran it over and left it for dead. The next year, it grew back as this magnificent specimen. All living creatures go through life cycles. We all have stressors along the way. Some die and some survive. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”  

If you would like support while going through life changes, please contact me, Delia Nessim (Trapuzzano) by calling (610) 416-7535.

In the next few months, I will be presenting workshops at The Resiliency Center on understanding and making the best use of the subconscious mind. Stay tuned to learn more at www.meetup.com/resiliencygatherings.