finding the Silver Lining......

Trying to write this post, my new laptop has had a different idea for me and after almost a full page it decided to delete everything I'd just written, leaving me with a blank page and my brain in a spin as to the exact words I had just typed down.

So after a little under-the-breath cursing I will begin again by saying......

Life can really SUCK!

No matter how you plan and set things out you may come across hurdles in your way that you must decide whether to climb, go around, or turn back from defeated.

Time and time again I watch as others choose the latter, too defeated to try or maybe just couldn't be bothered.

Whatever the reason the outcome is still the same.........someone will suffer.

Maybe not in the painful way you are thinking, although the outcome of missing out on the chance to do or be what they really wanted has robbed them of a future that could have given fulfillment in more ways than they could have imagined.

Yes, everything we truly want is going to take a lot of hard work and dedication, but realising the rainbow at the end is what keeps those that are truly dedicated striving forward in their quest of enlightenment.

Well, now that I got that little bit of wisdom out, I will come back down to earth and continue with the story I had started to tell.

Looking back over all my previous blog posts, it can be really hard to truly grasp the enormity of all that we have been through with our lives.

I'm not saying this to complain or whinge, far from it, I am however acknowledging the journey and what we went through that got us to this point; to be quite honest it has actually been a learning experience in so very many ways.

Knowing the pathway we may originally set out for ourselves can over the years change, repeatedly, especially when adding the needs and demands of a family.

When you have children, you set out a specific plan to assure they gain the most in life, therefore to do that, we- as mothers (and fathers), repeatedly go without or put on hold to provide the best for our kids.

We do this out of love, and never look back, satisfied when seeing the results of our dedication blossoming as our children grow to find their own little niche in the world.

When I began my family journey, I also travelled through that exact pathway, watching and guiding my three adorable kiddies as they grew to become independent, strong-willed adults, I can smile with the knowledge that I helped them get to where they are, if only just a little.

Sometimes we may wonder, “what if I’m doing this wrong?”

Although the fact that we stuck it out trying and doing for them, being there physically and emotionally, unconditionally, is the best gift we could give them, as no material possessions will ever replace that type of connection.

For that reason there is no “wrong”!

There may be times that unexpected hurdles face our kids and we are the ones that must take that leap of faith to help them through it, to get the best outcome.

In some cases they may not want or appreciate the way we do things or the path we took them on, although more often than not we gain a little something back when they too become parents and realise why we did the things we do.

Or like myself, while preparing to see the last of our children onto their path of discovery we were then given the most unexpected hurdle you could imagine.

Looking back on that day, when we were told our grandson needed us, we went through a tirade of emotions, imagining different outcomes and scenarios.

Never in your wildest dreams would you imagine the storyline that faced us!

Our hearts were breaking to see the little lost soul that stood before us.

All of 2 years old and not a drop of spirit or adventure left in him, the sadness in his eyes and the fear that had covered his very existence;

I will never forget that moment!

Although our plans would change, with the storyline totally re-written, we never once hesitated to take our new journey, even without any knowledge of what we would be facing, our eyes were wide open and prepared for anything, as long our our little man would be safe and loved.

We would never give up no matter what!

When you take any journey through life you try the best to be prepared and organised, arranging everything needed for the best possible outcome, although when you haven't had any experience or knowledge to what you are going to be dealing with, or you weren't expecting what was placed in front of you;

how are you to know where to start or what to do?

Stepping up to take control, I allowed myself to see this journey for what it was,

an experience into areas and places that I would never have gone to or taken on, having the chance to learn new skills and so much more.

This was definitely going to be the case for us.

Beginning by learning the official necessities of the Legal System while gaining custody, then entering the unknown areas of the Medical world, experiencing so many different situations that we never knew existed; these would all become a continual maze of confusion and enlightenment.

While travelling these different pathways we slowly began to realise the rewards that we were gaining along the way, the benefits and experiences that were taking over the harder parts that had become our daily routine for so long, to finally reveal the Silver Lining that hides beneath every dark cloud.

The rewards for me other than the obvious of being a big part of our grandson’s life, was how the experience had also helped me to take the leap-of-faith and start a new business opportunity while also giving to our community in a Pay-It-Forward style venture.

Proving you should never give up on your chance to dream, no matter what, as it may be just around the next corner; it may come in a different aspect than you had first imagined, although there are many reasons that could take you outside your comfort zone and end with connecting you to your true purpose.