I learned early on that you play the cards you are dealt.
Much of my outlook was shaped by an early life experience which taught me that you need to learn to play the cards that life “deals” to you. The details are fairly well known, but the lesson didn’t just consist solely of my childhood challenge (my father passed away when I was 11).
Throughout my life, I witnessed the power and strength of an influential person (my mom) who had to weather many worse storms. Her loss of so many family members (parents, husbands, children), showed me what character looks like and acts like. Some may have misinterpreted her stoicism as indifference or denial or lack of compassion. But I saw it as acceptance.
She never sat me down and said to me, this is how you cope, but I could see from her actions and reactions, that though she did grieve and mourn, she then moved on with her life (carrying along the memories of the lost loved ones).
So whatever the challenge: a loss, a health issue, a professional disappointment, a life setback – the choice is ours to succumb to the overwhelming weight of the negativity or to rise above and push ourselves up to the high road, and make the most of the cards that you are left holding in your hand. Not always easy to accomplish, not always a lesson that’s is easy to learn; but most often worth the effort.
Thanks, Mom.
