The storm does pass......

2014 was a dark year for me. But with God's grace and the strength and support of my loved ones, I made it through the storm. I survived. 

I started with 2015 with very little expectations. I was focussing only on 1 dream, 1 goal and otherwise, just taking time to stabilize.... to learn to breathe again. 

And my Shepherd kept me going. His blessings were manifested in my faith, my courage, my daughter, my "connects", my little drops of "blue".... 

Today, as I look back at the first 6 months of 2015, I breathe a lot easier than I could afford to do last year.... barring one huge black spot in this period that rattled me again... He has been kind. I am thankful for kind mercies. Yet, I know it all could change again, as it did before, so I have learnt to make more of each day than before. I have learnt to appreciate more, to expect less. 

And my recent experience has recapitulated my belief in remaining positive - even when you seem delusional ( as I must have seemed a lot, recently ), even when your world has turned upside down and you are left gasping for breath. You have to keep your face towards the sun and keep walking, picking yourself up each time you slip - either on your own or holding someone's hand. But rise you must, hold your head high and keep moving ahead. And somehow when you do that, things begin - almost magically - to fall in place. 

Today, I went back and read a few of my older posts and retraced my life - a kind of stock-taking. And all I can say to those going through rough patches in their lives is ....

There are 3 things in life that can get you through even your worst nightmare - Faith, Attitude and Love.

I speak first hand, I have been there, I know...

When times get tough, as George Michael said - you've got to have Faith. Faith in the One Above or faith in yourself, preferably both ; but you have to trust that something either external to you or intrinsic to your being will pull you through. Keep reaching out to what you believe in, to allow yourself to detach from the storm raging around you, to try and fathom what's actually going on and to put things in the right perspective, to give you the strength that you will need to do what you need to, to find the way out.

Secondly, you will need generous daily doses of positivity, of the right attitude - to prevent you from falling into a rut of self-pity, of cynicism - both of which are very easy when the odds are against you. There is simply no other way to counter the negativity that may be surrounding you but with positivity. It may seem crazy, may even seem impossible when your walls are crashing around you- but trust me, it is the only way you can change the vibrations, begin to take control. The gale may hit so hard, you may think it will destroy you - but as they say, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. It sure does. You have to be resilient, time and time again - refusing to give in. And we all have it within us - that indomitable human spirit - that refuses to die, until you stop breathing, that strives to improve our circumstances, to raise ourselves to a higher plane, to emerge victorious when darkness threatens to engulf and choke. And when you keep your chin up, the energy around you begins to change. The dark clouds lift - slowly but surely - and you tangibly feel lighter. The count of happier moments gradually increases. Not only with you, but within your entire circle. Your life begins to fall in place; bit by bit, sanity begins to return. 

Finally, to lift yourself free of what weighs you down, you have to love and be loved in return. Again, may sound bizzare or lunatic to many - but something I strongly believe in. When your boat's struggling to stay afloat in that storm and you have no idea how to get to the shore, reach out and hold tightly the hand of a loved one - even if that's all you manage to do. That simple act will reassure both you and the one you hold. Refuse to give in to the hurt, the disappointment, the pain. They will keep coming back, but you have to fight back - and you can only do that with Love. Bad times will tell you exactly who love you, to whom you matter - hold them close, hug them often. Love those in the storm, standing by your side. Love those who are waiting, praying at the shore only to see you come home safe. And when you do come out, celebrate life with these connects.... as often as you can.... 

Soon, Life will be beautiful again. 

And you will live again, laugh again, love again.

Because honestly, there is no other way.