Turbulence: conflict; confusion; as in “a time of personal conflict and confusion”
It started with an 11-year-old kid cooped up in bed with what was assumed to be the flue, enjoying some TV, then a loving parent checking in to make sure their son was okay. This was followed by a parent’s worst nightmare as their son was found unresponsive and obviously very sick with something besides your average flu. A rush to the hospital ensued, and then emotional mayhem after their comatose son was diagnosed with Bacterial Meningitis. A challenging and turbulent journey had begun for this young boy and his family!
10 days later the doctors called the parents in for a family meeting, telling them that their son would most likely die, and if he somehow survived, he would probably be a vegetable on a feeding tube for the rest of his life.
Have you ever been thrown a curve ball in life? Has anything ever happened to you that was totally unexpected and traumatic? The story above is mine, and the parents are two of the most amazing and courageous people I know. While I was lying comatose in the hospital, my parents were facing the painful challenge of having their middle child in the hospital, being told he would never wake up and probably die. Conflict and confusion surrounded nearly every decision they had to make. Despite all odds against them, and with the tremendous support of family and friends, they stayed strong in their faith and with each other.
I don’t personally remember anything during the time I was in the coma, but from what I have been told, the power of prayer and God’s grace, along with wonderful medical care and the perseverance of family and friends, is what truly brought me through.
My friends, 5 months might not seem like very long in the journey of life. However, 5 months of continuous, often turbulent challenges, can seem to last an eternity. One thing the experience has taught us all is not to take the “normal/ everyday” things in life for granted. For in reality, they are often the things in life that end up meaning the most, the first hello’s in the morning with a cup of coffee and breakfast, the family dinner, a hug, a birthday party, even a routine workday. I have learned to be so grateful for all of them.
What are you grateful for today? What are the things in your life that you take for granted, only to truly appreciate them when something happens to temporarily (or permanently) take them away.
Have you ever paused long enough to think about how grateful you are to be alive, that your heart beats over 30,000 times every night while you sleep, or the beauty of nature, or the gift of a friend? Life is a journey, and despite the fact that challenging and turbulent times will be experienced by each one of us, maintaining a grateful heart will bring peace and joy in the midst of it all.
Always remember that the best is yet to come!