Are you able to ACCEPT what is

Posted by admin in Blog (Weekly), Blogs

Nov
10

Is there a situation or person in your life that you have difficulty accepting? It may be witnessing a loved one suffer physically, mentally, spiritually, or emotionally. You may have health challenges, financial problems, lost your job, or just got divorced.

You may feel depressed, blocked, confused, or angry, and have lost hope. I have a dear friend who has been suffering physically for a few years and I have a difficult time accepting it. It helps to remind myself that it is not my journey and I don’t know the lessons she is learning.

The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous states “Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation—some fact of my life —unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God’s world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and my attitudes.”

Eckhart Tolle states, “Accept what is AS IF I have chosen it.” I had the opportunity to practice acceptance this week. Because of Covid, our family reunion was cancelled in Rhode Island last July. It was rescheduled for October and we planned on celebrating October birthdays (including mine).

My children and grandchildren gathered at my daughter’s farm and son’s home this week. I struggled and felt sad that I was 5,000 miles away and wouldn’t be there to celebrate with them. I miss them terribly and didn’t know when it would be safe to travel to Rhode Island again.

When I thought about Tolle’s quote “Accept what is AS IF I had chosen it,” I felt angry at first. Why would I choose to not be with my family? I loved them and wanted to be with them. Then Spirit showed me that I had chosen it. I had chosen not to travel to protect myself and Larry from Covid. Before I recognized that I had chosen it, I felt like a victim and felt sorry for myself. Poor me, I’m not there to celebrate our birthdays.

I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about my children and sent them love. I had allowed the sadness to move through me. Something shifted inside of me and I felt empowered. The sadness was now replaced with JOY and peace as I thought about how bonded my 4 children are and how they love and support one another. I don’t think there could be a better gift for a mother to know her children love and support one another.

The next morning, we had a Facetime call to celebrate our birthdays. I talked to everyone and felt a part of the reunion. They were celebrating with champagne and I celebrated with water as it was 9:00 am in Maui.

After the call, as I sat and watched the waves rolling in, the tears flowed down my cheeks. I had opened my heart to give and receive love, even though we were 5,000 miles apart, it didn’t matter.

I know it would have been a very different conversation if I hadn’t accepted “What is” and that I had chosen to not attend the reunion. They would have felt my energy and that I was feeling sorry for myself. Instead, they felt the love and gratitude that I experienced in the moment. It’s truly amazing when we change our attitude and ACCEPT WHAT IS AS IF I HAD CHOSEN IT.

“Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God’s world by mistake. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and my attitudes.”