Gifts of Adversity

Self-Reflection and Change

I am in my third month of being confined inside due to a severe ankle/leg injury and surgery. It took me a while to accept this 1 year delay of living my normal super active life. I have not left home except twice for Dr. appointments and with great difficulty. I have experienced what elders go through when their body is compromised- it is a very tough adjustment. For the first few weeks I kept thinking of how I might have avoided this unfortunate incident. But then as my faith reminded me I began to accept what had happened. And I began to look for the teaching that the Universe was providing me.

Adversity as a Gift

I have often said that conflict is a gift as it shows up hidden facts or truths that we have avoided, and it often strengthens relationships if one can have a healing conversation. So I began to look at the gift of adversity as well- what hidden gems would I discover that would change my life. Firstly, I began to appreciate the act of “wintering” as Katherine May calls it in her book by that name, that this accident afforded me. Katherine shares her transformative journey that rest and retreat only could offer.

Like her, I started to see my immobility in a different light- a more positive light than a negative one. In her book Katherine shares the deep insights…