We all need that silver lining of Hope.
Without it, the world would not be the same.
I woke up as usual around 5:30 am. After my morning prayers and meditation, I peeked out to see how dark it was. Winters bring the essence of warmth and cold at the same time. The warmth of the house, the glow of the fireplace, the comfort of a hearty, hot soup, chunky sweaters and booties. All are more comforting in this season than the warm sun itself and helps protect us against the frigid air, the icy rain, the dark gray days, and the winter blues. But, as I looked out, I saw this beautiful colorful sunrise, which was picture-perfect, like the ones you see in a calendar. I quickly got my phone to capture this spectacular view of nature’s artwork. I looked at the view, mesmerized for a few minutes, I thought of how it relates to our lives.
This gorgeous hue of colors in the background of now naked trees, which had shed their summer attire, resting and waiting for new ones come spring, when they would all wake up from their deep slumber and start dancing with joy as they are dressed in the shades of greens, reds and yellow to welcome the new season. The colors of the sky spoke to me, as if they knew my plea for wanting the sun to shine brighter in my world, for the dark gray to leave and the light of hope to shine upon me.
I saw the darkness of despair at the bottom, then the gold red color of the struggles and challenges, and finally the lighter, brighter shade of faith and hope, lifting and easing the pain and the suffering that had been my world for the last eight years. Most of us are at the bottom, and then there are some lucky ones who don’t experience the darkness. Life puts us where we are. Some are struggling, fighting to get to the second phase; others unfortunately give up. Those lucky enough to be able to get through the trauma and challenges, survive and at some point maybe reach the lighter and brighter part of their life, their journey. You are where you are for a reason. To embrace the journey with hope and gratitude somehow makes it easier to carry on. Below is the story I love, a story that shows me in any situation if we stay optimistic we survive and thrive.
Thomas Edison’s Reaction To His Factory Burning Down Shows Why He Was So Successful.
Richard Feloni May 9, 2014, 12:53 PM ET
Thomas Edison in his West Orange laboratory. AP Photo/J. Walter Thompson
At around 5:30 in the evening on Dec. 10, 1914, a massive explosion erupted in West Orange, New Jersey. Ten buildings in legendary inventor Thomas Edison’s plant, which made up more than half of the site, were engulfed in flames. Between six and eight fire departments rushed to the scene, but the chemical-fueled inferno was too powerful to put out quickly. According to a 1961 Reader’s Digest article by Edison’s son Charles, Edison calmly walked over to him as he watched the fire destroy his dad’s work. In a childlike voice, Edison told his 24-year-old son, “Go get your mother and all her friends. They’ll never see a fire like this again.” When Charles objected, Edison said, “It’s all right. We’ve just got rid of a lot of rubbish.” Later, at the scene of the blaze, Edison was quoted in The New York Times as saying, “Although I am over 67 years old, I’ll start all over again tomorrow.” He told the reporter that he was exhausted from remaining at the scene until the chaos was under control, but he stuck to his word and immediately began rebuilding the next morning without firing any of his employees.
Was there any other viable response? In the new book, “The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph,” author Ryan Holiday says there wasn’t. Sure, Edison could have wept, yelled in anger, or locked himself in his house in a state of depression. But instead, he put on a smile and told his son to enjoy the spectacle.
“To do great things, we need to be able to endure tragedy and setbacks,” Holiday writes. “We’ve got to love what we do and all that it entails, good and bad. We have to learn to find joy in every single thing that happens.”
Through my struggles and challenges, I have found plenty to be grateful for, and now, I see a purpose in my life. The giving of myself, my time and effort to others who are helped, gives me peace, satisfaction, and a sense of gratitude. I now have the time to write which I never had before. I was too busy running around keeping myself busy with chores that were boring, unimportant and I could do without. My writing has helped me bring my insecurities, my sadness, my pain to light and helped me cope, move forward with a smile and lots of hope for better days to come.
