“Life is not what it’s supposed to be. It’s what it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference.” Virginia Satir
Mom’s first suicide attempt was in December many years ago. She was unsuccessful, which allowed us 3 additional precious months with her before she decided to take her last breath the following March. During those 3 months, we sought to console her, say the right thing, share the right verse, counsel her the best we knew how. In the end, the depression was too deep, she was sick, her mind had made peace with death, and looking back, there was nothing we could have done or said.
Shortly after she arrived home after the first attempt, I had flowers delivered to the house to help brighten her day and cheer up her mood in a depressing state of mind and winter weather. I had the quote above written on the card. I don’t know when or where I first read that, nor do I know who Virginia Satir is, but I had remembered those words often and had sought to live them. Coping with the storms of life, knowing full well that they too shall pass, has been an immensely rewarding exercise in keeping a positive mindset.
Here we are today. Death tolls rising. Human connection lacking. Markets collapsing. No end in sight. What shall we do? …Cope. Life isn’t happening to you; you’re happening to life. If you don’t like something about the script, rewrite it. Don’t react, create. Don’t live life in the rear-view mirror, look expectantly through the windshield. It’s a big world out there in spite of what’s going on. The script changes when you change.
The best is ahead…
