Just When You Gave up Hope of it Happening; It Did!

Life is really interesting. Maybe you have been pining away for an old flame, and just when you had given up hope, he or she calls you and wants to get back together. Or maybe you are in a job you hate and finally accepted that this is just how life is when that perfect opportunity comes your way. Sometimes we have to deal with injury or illness that seems like it will last forever, and then suddenly it goes away. A storm that lasts too long can jar the nerves, but then it fades away off into the distance. Often, when you finally give up, hope is when the magic happens.

Heat & Humidity

We have been having one of the hottest most humid summers that I can ever remember. It has been challenging to deal with. Many days I spend complaining about how fatigued the humidity makes me feel and how hard it is to get anything done in this extreme heat. Yesterday, however, I finally realized my body is finally getting used to it. I guess you can get used to anything if it continues long enough. It made me think that now that I am finally “accepting” it and have given up hope for a change, it will probably end soon. The weather app predicts a change within the next few days.

Life Always Moves On

The Coronavirus is like that. Many people believe that this new way of life will go on forever; it won’t. Just when we give up hope of normal life, it will all fade away and become a distant memory. A good friend reminded me the other day of what life was life after 9/11. At the time, everyone was distraught with horror, fear, and expectation of the next attack. But it didn’t happen, and it all faded away. Some people believed they would never feel safe again, but they did. Things always change, and that is the only constant we can rely on. Sometimes giving up hope of change is simply acceptance.

Your Focus and Resistance is the Problem

I am an expert at keeping myself in a lousy place, whether from a difficult emotion (fear, anxiety, anger) or a physical ailment because I hold on too tight and won’t let it go. I resist the urge to accept that life is like this right now, but at any moment, it can and will eventually change. Usually, once I give up hope of change, it suddenly does. I wish I could remember that when I am grasping and resisting.

Giving Up Hope = Acceptance

In one of my many daily meditations, I heard something that made me think of this phrase, “this is how it is right now but won’t be forever.” I keep telling that myself regardless of the situation, and I do find comfort in it. It allows me to accept what is because I know it won’t last forever. Do not worry, what is happening now won’t last forever someday; we will barely remember what it was like. That is just how life works.