A little over a month ago we said our final goodbyes to a beautiful woman, my mother. She was a woman who went out of her way to find the best in people, everyone was her friend and everyone was equal in her eyes. Now we have the difficult task of packing up her apartment and parting with her things.
For the past couple of weeks my sister and I at various times have gone to the apartment to bag up her clothes(donate), box up collectibles for distribution to her grandchildren and children, find an organization to donate the furniture to and box up art and books. I am surprised at how difficult this has been emotionally, when I called to cancel her phone and internet service I burst into tears when I called to check if it was done and I heard that voice say the number was no longer in service.
So how do you find serenity when it's a time filled with emotional upheaval?
I'm doing what I need to do, I take time for myself, I stop when it gets to be too much and step back, take a deep breath and close my eyes and just remember the times with my mother when she laughed, when she smiled, when she cooked and when she was surrounded by family and friends. This brings me serenity and fills my soul with joy of memories.
So when things get tough emotionally I think the best way to locate your serenity is to simply take a step back, breath as deeply as possible, close your eyes and let the memories overtake you. It will lighten your spirit and help move you forward to the next box that needs packing.
My mother of blessed memory was all about learning and giving back. In this time of rebuilding from the devastating hurricanes and earthquakes, I implore you to take a moment to find a way to make a difference, donate your time or better yet donate money.
Take a moment to look at the good that surrounds you and close your eyes and realize how lucky you are.
Locate your serenity and breath deeply.
