What Comes Next?

Certain times of life and/or experiences of life seem AMPLIFIED.

In Hard Pivot: Embrace Change. Find Purpose. Show Up Fully. Apolo Ohno says every person will have an experience that changes their life forever.

This has certainly been the case with John’s surprise open-heart surgery.

In Hard Pivot, Ohno suggests we make the best of these times by practicing.

Gratitude: A daily practice that lets us maintain perspective, cultivate empathy, and alleviate stress

Giving: Selflessly giving our time, attention, and resources to others

Grit: How to develop mental stamina, resilience, and toughness to persevere through hard times

Gearing Up: Ways to prepare ourselves to meet challenges with flexibility and grace

Go: Developing the courage to take risks, learn from success and failure, and come back stronger

Ohno says clearly, “Though we can’t usually predict when we’ll need to reinvent ourselves, sticking to a daily practice will prepare us when we face our next big challenge.”

One of the demonstrations of this is our walking practice. We began walking for health back in the 1980’s when we participated in “Dump Your Plump” with friends and members of Stevensville United Methodist Church. For the most part, walking has been a steady companion all of these years.

While not as obviously directly impacting John’s recovery, our habit of spending less than we earned contributed to our being here in the sun and warm rather than in Michigan during white-out conditions today.

This morning I baked cookies and John delivered some to our friend, Richie. Richie is supporting his wife as she undergoes chemo. I wrote on the package: A guy should be fortified while he is supporting the wife he loves.

As I am writing this post, I am listening to Kyle Gray’s live event titled: GIFTS AND GUIDANCE FROM YOUR ANGELS. The gratitude you feel stimulates a light in the middle of your chest until this light washes over and through your physical body. You are encouraged to bask in it. It has the capacity to shine in darkness. Call that light up and out, for the greatest good for all.

What comes next may not be obvious from every point of view, but perhaps these guardian angels have a broader perspective.

Kyle is speaking of cutting the cords by speaking your intention, “I am the keeper of my mind and my body. Wherever love is present, fear is a stranger, and love is present in me.”

He says when you are feeling safe, affirm that by saying, “I am safe. I am free.”

Other words might be used to speak about this. Without a doubt, spiritual or esoteric practices speak of angels. So do some religions. Angels may be what native peoples call “ancestors.”

“Before you were in this body, before you were in this lifetime, you were ONE with divine love.”

Kyle shares opening of many spiritual experiences growing up, including personal close-encounters with angels.

“You have felt called,” Kyle goes on.

Perhaps you have felt called to spirituality, religion, art, nature.

“Your angels will always speak to you in the language most familiar to you,” Kyle assures us.

“When it comes to your having your direct connection with your angels, it is important to pray first not last,” he continues.

“Instead of saying, please angels help me with this, pray, thank you angels for helping me.”

Sue Mierau shared a gorgeous snow photo today on Facebook.

“Don’t just pray when things go wrong,” we are reminded.

“When you are in prayer, make it a space of gratitude.”

There is beauty in every season of our life, whether the weather is sunny or snowy.

What comes next after summer is autumn.

What comes next after autumn is winter.

What comes next after winter is spring.

It occurs to me that what comes next after gratitude is the balance of Ohno’s list: giving, grit, gearing up, and go.