What do our greatest losses teach us?

As we try to see our way clearly in 2020 we may spend a great deal of time and energy divesting ourselves of those things that no longer serve our highest and best as we create new personal goals for the future.
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Sometimes though, we seem to have little or no control over events that befall us and through no choice of our own we lose people and things that we thought were our foundation, security or destiny in life.  The pain and confusion that accompanies our loss can elevate our fears and rock our faith to its core rattling our hopes and our confidence in accomplishing our dreams and resolutions. 

Our biggest and most painful losses can become our greatest gains

I have witnessed this in the lives of those I love and have experienced it many times myself throughout my own eclectic life.
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For anyone seeking a happier and more fulfilled life I will share two stories that I hope will help light the way to a clearer vision for the new year.

Lessons from Robin

First I'll share what I learned and witnessed from the life struggles and teachings of Rev. Robin Bennett.

I chose to take care of Robin when she was diagnosed with a terminal illness.  Taking time away from work to administer care during her lengthy stay in Palliative care and later in Hospice, I watched a very bright, talented and loving woman suffer physically, emotionally, even spiritually at times as disease relentlessly ravaged her young life.

As she lost more and more control of her body and was challenged in her mind by changing medications, treatments and progressive threats to her breathing, I witnessed how her spirit and her soul's strength uplifted her to be a power of example to all who visited her. 

She healed so many with her music, her words of wisdom, her insight into the important things in life and her kindness and compassion for all living things – both here and in the hereafter. 

Her faith literally became stronger and more assured than any spiritual leader I have ever known of.  It was empowering to behold her true conviction and her trusting of God’s love no matter what.
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If only we could all learn from Robin without facing the threat of immediate death. To cherish each moment, each day and every breath we are given.  

Thoughts are things

Through all her suffering, Robin believed to her core that our thoughts are things.  That disciplining our minds to follow what God wants of us, not what we most desire for ourselves, will bring serenity, peace, well-being and God's grace of beauty even in the most tragic moments of our lives.
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This second story I will share in hopes that it may reveal reasons why we should never give up on life.  Never give up on God's love.

Don't quit before the miracle. It's probably happening as we speak

Many years ago, my overly-trusting and egotistical nature allowed me to fall victim to a group of men who conned me out of a fortune.  I lost a large developing company and was left with nothing.  I never saw it coming.  The castle of money and property came tumbling down literally overnight, devastating my family, my friends and my employees. 

I was left anguished and reeling from the experience.  Although some of the perpetrators were subsequently prosecuted it quickly became apparent that the fortune was gone and would likely not ever be recovered or returned.

I did not snap back from this blow. I crawled in shame for years trying to recapture the glory days of sitting on top of the golden mountain. The pain continued. The hurts repeated, and the roads were very unclear.

Wrenching in confusion and self-doubt, New Year after New Year rolled by and so did loss and failure. 

The message in the midst of pain

I had always had a very strong faith but now I began to seriously question if there was a God who loved me.  My trusting nature somehow remained intact and a strong work ethic pushed me ever forward through meaningless dark days and nights that seemed endless – even pointless. Again and again I reached for a dream that would remain elusive. 

During a particularly dark time, desperate for clarity and direction, I decided finally to relinquish control and handed the reigns over to let God lead this horse to where he needed me to go.  It was then that I began to see a clearer vision for the path forward.

,This man you find before you today rose from the ashes of this world's madness into the humility of spirit’s sunlight.  And now I can truly say I am richer and wealthier in love than I would ever have known if I had continued to pursue the accumulation of worldly stuff to fill a belly of pain.

In this new year I encourage you to identify the unnecessary self - that which does not serve your Joy.  Follow what the highest love would want for your highest self and live in a way that carries the light of love’s truth to others. 

Release the pain of the past and embrace the true presence of God.

Peace,

Joe

© 2020 Joseph P. Shiel III

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