Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Philippians 4: 4-7

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Monday, February 21, 2011

transitions

I recently watched the film 35 Rhums, where one of the salient themes to me was transitions in life, the anxieties we have about them, how we're journeying toward them and eventually we have to make them.

I'm a very emotional film watcher, and feel things very acutely, and the part of the film I found really devastating was when the protagonist's friend, a fellow train driver, takes his own life by lying on the train tracks because he feels useless and lost after he retires.

It just made me think of how it's so important to remind yourself and other people that when you're in transition from one phase of life to another, and you're feeling lost in your new role or lack of one, it's essential to remember that things will get better.

It is a universal experience that something new that you're doing or experiencing might feel weird/scary at first. Even though you might feel terrible, scared, lost or something else unpleasant, remember that you can get used to and start feeling better about the new phase of life, you can find meaning, you can find a way to make the best out of the new situation and find joy in the next stage of life. And if you can't go it alone, tell someone how you feel, share the burden, don't give up. It gets better!