There have been some days in my life that totally turned things around for me. Each of them started as a routine day, yet some news or event happened that totally changes things so that at day’s end your life is going in a totally different direction.
One of those days was Thursday, August 10 2006. That morning my family and I woke up early in preparation for our flight back home to the United States at the end of our vacation.
We packed and headed for transportation from our hotel to the airport at Aberdeen, Scotland. A cold front had moved in, bringing rain and windy conditions.
To my surprise, the small quiet airport that we had been through the day before was now filled with police officers in bullet proof vests carrying automatic weapons soldiers and stressed people who were reluctant to discuss what was happening.
The shock was that we had flown into Aberdeen the day before and it was suddenly very different. The contrast between the two days startled me. It had me wondering if we had landed at the same place yesterday.
Something changed overnight causing all the soldiers to be there and it wasn’t just the weather. It alerted me that something is terribly wrong. It became one of the longest days of my life, filled with intrigue and change.
Even at the ticket counter, the agent quietly said to us, “It’s a BAD day for travel” in an ominous tone.
All the televisions in the terminal were on sporting events rather than news.
I had no clue that this sudden change would happen. It turned my life in new directions. To this day, my family and I still consider it “the longest day”.
Similarly, you don’t know for sure what you will be coming home to later. Will your spouse be there?
Will they be there with someone else?
Will you be coming home to an empty home or bank account?
Your life can change suddenly with little to no warning. It could change with one email or text message. The end of your day may be totally different than how it began.
That one thing can twist your heart, mind and life in ways you didn’t consider on waking this morning. I imagine a couple of years ago, you never imagined you’d be reading emails like mine either.
The surprises happen. Although you can’t control them, you do have control on your reactions to them. You can choose healing rather than falling apart. You can reach out for help rather than suffer in quiet desperation.
You can join the support community at Restored Lifestyle, where you can share your struggles and fears with others who have been through similar situations.
You don’t have to continue being stuck in the pain, unless you want to.
Keeping It Real,
Jeff
