"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." __ Confucius, c. 550 - 478 BC
Confucius was a philosopher that had much to say about many things. The quote above has been inspiring me to keep going, no matter what. This quote has been instrumental in many areas of my life, including my health and well-being.
Several years ago, when I found out my health was failing, I fell apart in every way I could: I cried, I ranted and raved, I cussed, I yelled, and I blamed. I also recognized my role in the decline of my health and I accepted responsibility. After conventional medicine could not offer me the solutions I sought, I turned to alternative care. With the help of caring teachers and mentors and my own determination, I rose from the fall of disease into the glory of health.
I could have regarded the health problems I experienced as the truth, and accepted the prognosis given to me at the time. Then, during one of my visits to the medical doctor's office, I remember him telling me I would require extensive surgery. And his statement triggered my unpleasant experience of two months of infection and three years of post surgical pain and fascia itching after my appendix was removed in the 1990's. That was a minor surgery and my whole body cringed at the thought of how many years of pain and suffering I would endure if I accepted surgery. Then there was the fact that I was going to lose some major organs! So, I kindly informed the nice doctor that surgery was against my religion.
Curiously, he asked, "what religion is that?" And I replied, "cowardice."
I walked out of his office with copies of my record and decided, if it is to be, it is up to me. I saw the diagnosis and proposed course of action as my death. I admit, my thoughts can be highly dramatic (I can write a book about my mind's dramaturgy), but my drama-full imagination also helps me suss out options. Armed with determination, I decided I would rise from the fall of this dis-ease and get my health back!
I did and the health problems gave me gifts; I am who I am today because of my experiences. The health problems that could have been my downfall became my turning point into a glorious and fulfilling life. I am grateful for the gifts they gave to me. I am grateful for the lessons they shared and I am grateful for the successes they have brought to me. I am grateful for the people they continue to help me serve. I am grateful for the wake up call and the opportunities for growth. I am grateful that my mind helped me realize the problems were opportunities to rise from the ashes of disease into a flourishing phoenix.