I pulled off the highway onto the darkest road I could find. An abandoned gas station gave me a safe spot to park. Only lit by the full moon, I leaned against the front of the car and waited. The stillness of the night and the beauty of nature encircled me within the present moment. Breathing deeply with my eyes turned toward the sky I became one with lunar eclipse, the stars, and my life.
A moment of joy amid crisis.
This moment of joy filled my life with grace, gratitude and hope.
And I was in crisis with my 11-year old daughter. I had just dropped her off at a residential mental health facility 90 miles from home when I stopped to witness the eclipse. She didn’t want to be there so the good-bye had been a tough one. My heart was in pieces and fearful.
As I left the facility my soul felt heavy and my brain started to spin on questions that had no answers. Had I made the right decision? What did her future hold? Was she going to be safe?
Joy is your birthright.
Like a lightening bolt, I had clarity. I gave myself permission to experience both joy and pain at the same time. I could smile and be happy… despite everything going on in our lives. In fact, it was my birthright to experience joy. At that moment I decided to pull over off the highway to watch the eclipse.
A beautiful unfolding began that allowed me to find daily joy regardless of the chaos and crisis around me. Joy became a necessary and regular part of my healing and growth. I found that if I was present in the moment, I found joy everywhere. I didn’t need an eclipse. I find joy in the way the snow falls, the taste of my favorite treat, or a bird resting on my window sill.
As a parent of a mentally ill child, finding joy may seem elusive or indulgent. Please listen to me now – experiencing joy is your birthright. It’s a conscious choice each day. Give yourself permission today.
Joy is also one of the best things you can do for yourself and your child. Joy raises your energetic vibration, providing you with clarity and peace. Those around you, including your child, can also feel that beautiful energy.
Make joy a priority.
So, regardless of what’s happening today find a moment of grace… and be present for it. Breathe it in. Savor it. Smile. Be grateful. File this moment away and call upon it when your energy is low. It can be life changing. This article has 40 great ways to find daily joy.
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