In everyone’s life a little rain must fall…
Yesterday, a very close co-worker of mine was released from work. In the prior weeks, she and I had the privilege of having lunch where she explained a somewhat complex situation she was in regarding her career. She and our employer had decided that she was no longer a good fit for her current role. In this amicable decision, it was also decided that she would be given time to find another position while they continued the search for her replacement. Whichever situation resolved itself first would be the one that was the winner! While at lunch I almost choked on my food when she told me. “WHAT?” I responded…followed by, “can you repeat that?”
She advised me that I had heard her correctly. While this situation had been going on for sometime, she explained, she was at a point in her life where she knew God would take care of her in the midst of the direness in her life. She was newly married for the second time. Her husband was a highly paid executive who unfortunately could not find work in the last two years. Her daughter had recently given birth to her first grandchild. She had gone on several interviews, but nothing looked promising.
Yesterday, I heard it was her final day. I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. Or, exchange contact information so that we could keep in touch as we had agreed. I wasn’t ready for this to happen so soon – so I know that she was totally unprepared. During our lunch discussion she said that as painful of a place that she was currently in, she was walking in her “storm”. She continued ever so gently, “The storm I am in is nothing that I am afraid of. It reminds me of the many storms I have endured, much like the thunderstorms that we have been having here recently.”
My co-worker continued, ” You know, sometimes it’s just a flash of lighting repeatedly before the drops appear. Yeah, my heart has endured that. Then, there are periods of heavy rain where the sewer system does not have enough time to capture it all. Those were my heavy tears in the beginning. Followed by periods where the rain slows down – which is where I am now. But, the most exciting part is the sunshine that I know will come out to evaporate the rain – and then the beautiful flowers left behind.”
I hugged her. We sat in silence briefly in the crowded restaurant and I reflected. It has only been four years since this almost same situation happened to me. I was reminded that sometimes our storms of life are not simply to pour rain on our personal parade. Rather, to give us personal experience of walking through it so that we could provide the necessary comfort in the next storm that just may not be ours.
Have you had storms in your life that allowed you some valuable rich opportunities to comfort someone else? Were you able to give that comfort? Or, did you rather become the sounding board of reason a friend needed in the time of transition? I have had many “STORMS” some of them are even happening right now. Yet, I have realized that God is in total control and the sun certainly will come tomorrow – however long that may be.
I would love to hear from you. Feel free to share how you have handled a “storm” or two in your own life – or, better yet…take out your journal and write one or two. Okay, let’s do this, let’s Journal the Journey together.
Be blessed
Kenetha
