I have a special friend in my life, and I share a friendship with her that transcends closeness and moves into a connection on a spiritual level.  We live far apart, but we share our thoughts, feelings, and activities with each other on a daily basis.  That sharing is often deep, always honest, and sometimes raw.  I think we are a safe place for each other, a place where we each know we will always be accepted, supported, and loved.

My friend is going through a serious life event right now.  She is experiencing something significant, and although it is something on her own individual path, it is also something she shares in some ways with her daughters.  

She and I were talking about finding the opportunities in all of this.  We both believe that opportunities are always a part of challenges, even if they are not clearly seen or understood at the time.  When we were talking about this, I shared the following with her.

“I believe that you remaining open to clarity for what the opportunities are in this part of your path, that clarity will eventually come.  Equanimity – peace in the midst of whatever occurs.  Integrating the knowing and the trust that whatever is put on your path is what is supposed to be there and is a part of ultimate good.  Gratitude for all of your blessings.  Acceptance, embracing and nurturing your self, taking care of yourself in the midst of whatever is happening.  I don’t know what will resonate for you but I believe you will know eventually.

I do know that in you sharing this part of your path with your daughters, whatever you learn, what you do, how you grow, all of that will be seen and experienced by them, and that will become part of the fabric of their lives.”

I thought about this when I wrote it and afterward.  I believe this, in the deepest part of myself.  And I thought about how this is something that is not true just for her, but for myself – and everyone who faces challenges and difficulties and pain and uncertainty.  I thought about how these things are put in our paths for reasons, and being open to those reasons is a big part of why we are living our lives.  Each of our paths is not static.  It is always moving, evolving, and changing, and our willingness to embrace all of that in a way that allows us to receive all of the gifts in that process is where true value is found.

My friend has been doing that in facing this challenging time in her life.  She has faced it with presence, honesty, openness, and owning the choices she has been given in this process.  She remains open to finding the opportunities that are a part of all of this, and she is willing to face whatever comes up in that process with courage and love.  Seeing my friend living this part of her path in this way is a gift to me.  As I know it will be to her daughters, who she loves beyond words.  I believe that this is almost certainly a part of why this has been put in her path.