storm’s a brewing

I recently wrote about “how I calm my inner storm” for a writing challenge.  After much contemplation, I found that some of my storms weren’t so big after all.  But, I must say that when they first appear on the horizon of my brain or heart they are definitely at least an F5 or Category 4.

I tend to face life head on.  I am normally not one to cower when life sends a curve ball.  I’ve learned, by experience mostly, that I cannot necessarily change the course of a storm or even the impact it will have on me and my family.

So, when the storms form and come at me, after I react in a highly emotional way, I pull back a little and look.  I look into my heart and mind and try to see a higher perspective.  A God’s – Eye view, so to speak.

I don’t always see a different view right away.  Sometimes it comes in a calming presence of divine.  A calm that I could not have found myself.  This kind comes during great hurt and loss.  The kind of stuff that I can’t help myself at all to get through or face.

Sometimes it comes more in my head where I have to deliberately find the different perspective.  I have to actively go to a better place, to look for a different view.  That often happens when the everyday kind of storms come along.  These are the hardest for me.

Those annoying inconveniences that come out of no where.  Those water spouts or dust devils that will not tear your house down but they can make a heart uneasy and things a little messy.

So how do I stay positive from day to day or hour to hour or minute to minute?  It’s a tough job and I have decided that life is too precious to waste energy on negatives and inconveniences and bad attitudes.  It is a decision that I have to make daily and sometimes often in one day.

I have to decide to be happy and make the most of my life.  When I do that I find that everything looks brighter, even the loved ones I spend my life with.  Happiness and right choices are contagious.  I want to spread that.

It’s not easy.  My brother goes to the woods we played in as kids (in his head).  His happy place.  I like that.  For me, even though I have places like The Woods also, I tend more to picture my best Friend, Jesus, sitting there with me.  He doesn’t have to speak.  He just has to be there. Just be with me and I don’t feel alone inside.

I choose to think on the positive things.  That is challenging because I was raised to think on the negative.  As an adult I changed that.  And as I said above, it is work.  But a work that is so rewarding.

It has become a passion of mine to help others to see a different view.  I love to see another’s eyes open to a whole new view of their storms.  A positive one.  We were never promised that our lives would be butterflies, rainbows and sunshine.  So, when the rains come and the clouds get really dark we need to embrace the storm and the shelter provided for us.  The sun will shine again and the flowers will bloom and yes, the rainbows will appear.

Enjoy!

cate b