Imagine
if we could completely trust that we are guided, protected and completely loved
by an unseen higher power, that all that happens is a gift bringing us closer
to God and our angels. I imagine that life would be peaceful and joyful.
This
complete trust is not easy for anyone. I started a practice to help me with
this. Each day, I thank God for each opportunity to trust. Lately, a lot of
these opportunities have been coming up, and it is a challenge for me to
remember to trust.
One
year ago, I was driving Barry to his appointment for a partial knee replacement.
This is no small surgery and we both were nervous. Being medically trained, we
are always aware of the things that can go wrong. While driving, I mentioned to
Barry that I wanted to give thanks for this opportunity to trust whatever
happened on that day. I hoped I could see each event in the day as part of the
gift of trusting. He agreed.
We
were a few minutes late for the 6am appointment, so while I parked the car,
Barry left to go inside. As he was walking away, I called after him, “Remember,
I want to say a prayer for you right before surgery.” Barry thanked me and went through the door. I
quickly parked the car and rushed inside. Barry was gone. As soon as he had
walked into the door they rushed him into the pre-op room. The woman behind the
desk handed me a bunch of papers and had me fill them out. As soon as I brought
them back, I urgently said, “I really need to be with my husband. It’s
important that I say a prayer for him right before he goes into surgery.”
“Yes,
of course,” she said, “Just wait over there.” My desire was so strong for Barry
to hear my prayer right before his surgery, that after ten minutes I again went
up and asked the woman behind the desk. “Yes, yes,” just have a seat we’ll call
you.
Forty-five
minutes went by and finally I was called. I practically ran into the room to
Barry. He looked up at me with blurry drug-induced eyes and could barely mumble.
I questioned the anesthesiologist standing by him, who said, “Oh, we already
started the anesthesia.” She then handed me a form to sign and, while I was
signing it for Barry, they whisked him away. “What about my prayer for him,” I
said as I went running after his stretcher. By the time I caught up, Barry was
unconscious and they slid him into the operating room and closed the door.
I
returned to the car deeply disappointed. I had wanted to say a heartfelt prayer
for Barry, and it was vitally important to me that he hear the prayer before
the surgery. On the verge of tears, I remembered that I had told him that no
matter what happened that day we were going to trust. This was the place to
start. I said my prayer for Barry out loud in the car and I felt thankful for
this opportunity to trust, even though it had not gone the way I wanted.
The
following months held other opportunities for trusting. He had an allergic
reaction to every anti-inflammatory drug he took, and could hardly eat for
weeks, losing much weight and strength. He also could not tolerate pain
medications. But throughout all of this we practiced trusting.
Now,
one year later, Barry can walk without any pain. All the hardship of the
surgery and recovery made him even more compassionate than he already was, and
brought the two of us closer than we ever have been. We have greater
appreciation of our remaining time and health.
Thanking
God for every opportunity to trust is a powerful practice. This year has
brought a loss of an important relationship in our lives. This is not something
that we ever wanted or could have foreseen, and it has been very painful. Yet even
in the midst of the pain I am reminded of this practice. Maybe we don’t
understand something, but that does not mean that we cannot give thanks for the
opportunity to trust. It is gratitude that opens the door to a deeper trust.
I
read about a woman who had to be evacuated from her home quickly since there
was a massive fire racing toward her neighborhood. As she was fleeing from her
home, she looked back and saw the fire bearing down upon each home in her
neighborhood. This woman was also practicing giving thanks for opportunities to
trust. Out loud in her car, she gave thanks to God for giving her this
opportunity to practice full trust. She then drove away and assumed her home of
twenty five years would be gone for good. Two days later she received a call
from the fire department. By a complete miracle her home was the only one still
standing. Nothing was disturbed by the fire. Was this just a random coincidence
or was this due to her act of complete thankfulness and trust? No one will ever know of course. But for that
woman, her trust was greatly deepened.
Things
are never going to go just the way we want them. Friends could betray us,
illnesses could come, accidents could happen and any number of other painful
things. But the act of giving thanks for each opportunity to trust can see us
through the most difficult of times, help to bring peace, and remind us that we
are all here on the earth to learn, love, help others and remember to trust.
Here are a few opportunities to bring
more love and growth into your life, at the following longer events led by
Barry and Joyce Vissell:
Joyce & Barry Vissell, a nurse/therapist and psychiatrist couple since 1964, are
counselors near Santa Cruz, CA, who are widely regarded as among the world's
top experts on conscious relationship and personal growth. They are the authors of The Shared Heart, Models of Love,
Risk to Be Healed, The Heart’s Wisdom, Meant to Be, and A
Mother’s Final Gift.
Call 831-684-2299 or write to the Shared
Heart Foundation, P.O. Box 2140, Aptos, CA 95001, for further information on
counseling sessions by phone or in person, their books, recordings or their
schedule of talks and workshops. Visit their web site at SharedHeart.org for their free monthly e-heartletter, their updated
schedule, and inspiring past articles on many topics about relationship and
living from the heart.
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