Make The Best Out Of A Bad Situation

One of my close friends passed away unexpectedly recently. It was not easy to accept the news. She thought menopause was the culprit for insomnia, weight loss and some other non-specific complaints. She was survived by her husband and three children, 18 and under.

How can this be anything but a bad situation? Someone died. Someone I was very good friends with departed too soon, leaving behind her family. I miss her tremendously. Like many things in life, I do not understand why this happened. It turns out that I can choose to make a bad situation be a gift or an opportunity. It was a foreign and almost impossible concept to me, and the more I practice it with curiosity and an open mind, the more I find it possible.

If I see everything as either a gift or an opportunity, then I will dwell less in despair. I will be curious as to examine what that circumstance is teaching us. Eventually the purpose of an event will reveal itself in the right timing.

My friend’s premature departure from earth is an opportunity to reflect on how we are taking care of ourselves. Are we going to have screening tests regularly, including the age-appropriate cancer screening tests? Do we get adequate rest, exercise and adhere to a healthy-balanced diet?

Are we doing the daily grind without remembering what our purpose of living is? If I work until 65 years old, then I will get to retire and enjoy life – that is what many people think. What if you don’t get to live past your 50s? Is it possible to enjoy life now?

This is an opportunity to reflect on how we live life on a daily basis. Why are we doing what we are doing? Are our activities in alignment with our values and beliefs? Are we slowing down enough to even think about these things?

I believe in living every day as if it is my last day on earth, although it is sometimes a challenge to practice it. Sometimes I get caught up with all the busy work. Sometimes I think there are too many things happening. Sometimes I question my ability to handle things in general. It is easy to feel overwhelmed when I have those thoughts. What helps me is the awareness of my mind. When I think about something that makes me feel stressed or overwhelmed, I ask myself, is this the absolute truth? Is there an alternative way view it? As thoughts about a situation create feelings or certain emotions, I get to choose the thoughts which are less draining.

Every day on earth is a gift. My friend is reminding me that, as we do not know how many more days we have left. We gain one more day of living every day. We gain another opportunity to plan our day, to live the way we want to live, to contribute to the world to the best of our ability. As we shift our focus from the daily routines to our goal in life, with the big picture in mind, we practice to be more uplifting, more peace, compassion and joy.