A time comes in your life when you finally get it…when in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out “Enough.”
Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears, and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world through new eyes.
This is your awakening.
You come to terms with the fact that he is not Prince Charming and you are not Cinderella (or visa versa) and that in the real world there aren’t always fairy- tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you-and in the process, a sense of serenity is born from acceptance.
You stop complaining and blaming other people for things they did to you (or didn’t do for you), and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected.
You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say and not everyone will always be there for you and that it’s not always about you. So you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself and in the process, a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.
You stop judging and pointing fingers, and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties-and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness. You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And there is power and glory in creating and contributing.
You learn that you don’t know everything, it’s not your job to save the world, and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different from working towards making it happen.
You learn that life isn’t always fair, you don’t always get what you think you deserve, and that sometimes, bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions, you learn not to personalize things. You learn that G-d isn’t punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It’s just life happening. And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state-the ego. You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy, and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.
You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls. You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of the people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower. Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself, and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your heart’s desire.
You hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility. Finally, with courage in your heart and with G-d by your side, you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best you can.
Anonymous