by gmayster01
This past week brought challenges for our family.
My daughter, the mother of my three grandchildren, ended up in the hospital dealing with severe kidney infection for three days this past week. There were lots of organizational challenges involved in getting the children's needs covered, including arranging for someone to be in the hospital room with my daughter round the clock to care for Baby Kai, who at 5 months old, is still on breast milk, having never eaten solid food before.
In midst of it all, it rained and rained. We experienced the area's largest downpour in years. With three inches of water in one day on top of a previous nine inches already on the ground we were inundated with water that flooded the downstairs level of my daughters home. Just one more challenge for us to meet. And then, to top it all off, the children got sick with cough and fever from some virus that they picked up from visiting their mom in the hospital!
As the proverbial saying goes, “When it rains (literally) it pours!”
As the “matriarch” of our immediate family clan, I could see that it was very important for me to maintain my own emotional well being. I knew that my reaction to the challenges we were facing would set the tone for how the rest of the family responded to these life challenges. Taking care of myself became essential. My daily meditation and centering (through yoga & qigong) were imperative if I was going to hold steady, maintain a calm exterior and preserve my own health.
So, I continued to take a few moments every day for personal centering and breathing … for stretching and praying for guidance and the well being of my family. Through that practice, I was reminded that I was not alone in dealing with a difficult situation – besides family, there is a guiding and loving Universal Hand always available with resources and support.
We got through the week … Mother and baby are home from the hospital, the basement is once again dry and the children are rebounding from their virus, as kids do.
My daughter and I talked about how we are all richer for the experience of the past week. She confided to me that it had been a wake up call for her to take better care of herself … “I see that when I don't take care of myself, someone else has to clean up the mess.”
The situation provided family members a chance to come together in support of one another and it gave us the chance to feel the love and commitment we have for one another. And we were able to to see how well we can function as a family unit in times of crisis.
For me this week of challenging events allowed me to see firsthand how much better life goes when we operate out of a grateful and grounded inner space.