Joy & HURT

Recently I was scrolling on our tv and trying to find something worth watching, and came across a show that caught my attention.? It was Alan Jackson concert and he was singing at the Red Rock amphitheater.? The reason it captured my attention was that I attended a meeting at the Red Rock and wanted to hear the acoustics because it is an outdoor amphitheater. The song that he was singing was “Remember When.” The song goes..? “Remember when.? We lived and learned, life threw curves.? There was joy, there was HURT., remember when.”? What a journey of highs and lows.? It is a powerful message and we have a lot to live and learn.? The song tells the story of how changes and shifts are not all pretty, and sometimes they HURT.?

Hard?????????????????????????????????

Hard times are ahead.? We don’t have to like it, however inevitably, we will encounter some form of frustration, HURT, pain, or period that we do not enjoy.? Sure, it is easy to say to grin and bear it, and look for the silver lining, but it is hard.? Spoiler Alert: Nobody said it would be easy.? These cliche statements don’t help in the thick of the HURT, however they can bring some insight as you are coming out of the storm.? We have probably all heard, when the going gets tough, the tough get going.? That is way easier for some than others.? We are all wired differently, and we all have different experiences and HURTs in our lives.? Is there anything that comes to mind that you learned recently when life was hard?? Was it while you were in the midst of the storm, or coming out?? How have you incorporated what you learned into your personal and professional life?? Who do you know who is going through a similar storm or situation?? How can what you learned help them?? Are you comfortable sharing your experience with them?? Why not?

Uncomfortable???????????

Uncomfortable is uncomfortable.? Can I get witness??? Growth pains can be uncomfortable. If you have ever grown rapidly, or had a child who grew rapidly, you know what I am talking about. In its simplest forms, uncomfortable means a slight pain or discomfort or an uneasy feeling.? I would rather feel uneasy than be in pain, however I would take pain instead of those I love to help keep them from being uneasy.? Some will say change is uncomfortable.? Others may say it HURTs.? What are your thoughts?? Sure, it depends on what kind of change and what kind of impact it has on you.? Are you dealing with change right now?? Are you at school again and your four walls are closing in?? Are your kids gone and the house seems quiet and empty?? What area of your life are you uncomfortable?? New boss or VP?? New role?? Single, or now married and you and your new wife are expecting?? Transitions in life are inevitable, however we can only do what we can do.? Like the song says, Remember when?? You were young and time stood still?? Now you might wish for it to slow down.? What area of your life do you need to remember is a steppingstone to where you are and where you’ve been?

Reactions??????????????????????

Reactions vary!!? If you reacted to things the same, life would not be very exciting.? If you did everything like everyone else, you might never make the start.? Sure, starting is hard, and life can throw you curves.? Life can and will change and get rearranged.? You will have differences and there will be joy and there will be pain, there will be sorrow and there will be HURT.? Don’t stop and allow the tough to overshadow the good.? The music of your heart and the sounds of the music of those closest to you may be different, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy listening to it.? Where you are at is not where you have been and where you have been impacts where you are. Especially if you take your reactions into consideration. How have your reactions helped or hurt where you are? What have you learned about your reactions?? Do they vary by the type of HURT you have experienced?? What do you do to channel the pain for the betterment of yourself and those around you?

Time??????????????????????????????????

Time will tell!? Time may stand still at times and move fast when you least expect it.? Unfortunately, when there is HURT, time may seem like it is standing still. Nobody knows how hard it is and was except you.? Stay true to what you know. Emotions accompany HURT and they can be cyclical during the early stages of recovery.? Only you know and nobody (regardless of what others say) has walked in your shoes.? Sure, they might try on your shoes, but only you walk in them every day.? It takes time to heal, and it is different for everyone.? You will get there, and you will be able to look back and remember when.? Love and trust will return, and you will be able to look back and see the milestones of your life have marked out the path to who you are.? You may have HURT in different parts of your life.? They will not go away overnight.? Walk the walk to get to where you want to go.? Just remember there may be stops along the way, and it’s ok to cry if you need to.? Life will change and you will get through it.

Life throws curves.? We all know that.? Some can adjust to them, and some cannot.? Either way, we learn.? The journey is the depth of the meaning of our life’s pain and struggles. ?As life goes along, we have to adjust, and we also get older.? Things are not like they once were, and like it or not, we can’t change or control it.? Times will be hard but does not mean you won’t get through it.? It can be and will be uncomfortable at times.? Your reactions will vary on your circumstances based on your personal understanding of what has occurred and what you learned.? It will take time; however, time will tell.? You will know when you will be able to look back and remember when.? Remember??

Stay safe and stay well!