When trials come....

May you live in peaceful times. I have heard this phrase many times in movies or short stories. It is an old blessing that one generation would proclaim or try and pass onto future generations. As a parent, I wish that my child only sees happy and good days or peaceful times. Yet, trials and tribulations will appear at some point in any existence.

I grew up in the mountains. I remember staying with maternal grandmother a lot as a child. She lived in tiny old home with one story on the middle of a hillside. When you are in the mountains, rainstorms can develop quickly and even violently. One second the sun is shining and then darkness everywhere. To make the presence of the storm seem even stronger, a hill provides very little protection from such an event. You are on an elevated surface that can face an incoming storm.

When a storm moves from one side of a mountain to another, the pressure of the storm can be audible. It can even sound as if a locomotive is coming around the mountain and toward your location. It can be very scary.

I remember hiding under a blanket on my grandmother's couch when a storm would thunder outside and even feel as if it was shaking the house. She would come near me and sit. I would ask her if she was scared. She would smile and sometimes pat my hand or shoulder. She would tell me that she had seen so many storms. Some were loud while others were quiet. She would mention that some even were scary for her, but they would come and go. The rain would fall and then the Sun would shine after the storm passed. And, the air would seem cleaner and the sky would be clear and blue.

I remember at a certain point, I would start watching the storm with my grandmother. I would be in awe of the storm (though scare somewhat still), and I grew to appreciate the beauty that followed the process of turbulent weather. The storm taught me to appreciate the peace. Going through the storm time after time decreased my fear that I questioned if I would be able survive the storm.

You could argue that my grandmother with her attitude and encouragement taught me how to handle a bad situation. She quickly emphasized four ideas:

1. You have to acknowledge the existence and potential of a storm.

2. You have to be honest in how the storm emotionally effects you.

3. You have to review the benefits that a storm holds in its course of development and progression.

4. You must have faith that a positive end will be concluded drawing confidence from our knowledge and experience.

Ultimately, each of us must develop an internal belief that no matter how unnerving or distressful, we will survive the storm. Perception is a choice. A scary storm can be a good thing or a bad thing- the do not come with labels- we assign the storm a title. It can be a "big" storm or "little" storm based on what name we assign it.

Funny thing about the storms I watched, as a child, some storms seemed so short while others seemed to last all day. As an adult, some storms seem endless, but they do end. In the mountains, a storm often will just suddenly disappear. Life can be the same. You never no how many clouds compose a storm. The first cloud and last cloud seem indistinguishable. What seems like it is the first of many bad times to come may simply be the last hurdle before peace returns.

If you feel like a storm in your life will not end, please consider that you may be about to witness the blue and sunny skies return! Draw on the kind words and support that your closest loved ones have poured into you over a lifetime. The storm will pass! The Sun will shine!

Be Blessed!

The M.A.D. Dad