Turn your wounds into wisdom

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light” – Steven Kloves, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (movie)

I’m on my eight weeks post-operation.

 I’ve never been outside the house except when I needed to go to the hospital for my check-up.

 During this period I’m learning a lot about how powerful the human spirit is when it comes to our physical and emotional strength.

Physically, because at this time I still could not bear weight on my left foot. Although I could already step it on the floor, I still could not walk.

And because of that, I’m forced to move using just my right leg.

I hop, I slide, I dance gangnam style with my right leg just to get from pt A to pt B. Sometimes I even use my arms to crawl.

Yes I do crawl.  I crawl when my les gets tired.

Emotionally, because there are times when I am unable to do simple things easily like turning on the lights.

I sometimes get frustrated.

At times I get mad with my situation.

But amidst my predicament I still manage to be grateful.

I always remember that everytime you think of how awful your situation is at the present, the more you would get more of the “bad” into your future.

So I thought of three great things I can gain to what’s happened to me and they are:

1. I get to spend a lot of time with my kids

I am actually giving almost every minute of my life now with them.

I get to see how they grow, how they act, how they speak, how they throw temper tantrums.

Here’s what I learned, every child has their own angels and demons inside them.

Yes, all children have it.

By the way, do you want to know which side of your child would grow?

The answer is simple, the one that you pay attention to.

So, I always give more regard to their good qualities than their bad qualities.

We play, we wrestle, we read books,  watch TV, sometimes even take a bath together.

(Yep, the things you can do with your kids aged 2 and 5.)

2. I am able to rest my mind and body

I’ve been working so hard for as long as I can remember, my mind and body has spent a lot of energy from work, sports activity, business planning etc. 

I think I got myself caught up in a “rat race” where we just wanted to work, work, work, work and with little time to spare play. 

Now because of my injury I’m more of lying on bed for at least 23 hours a day.

Talk about total mind and body rest huh.

3. I get to improve myself

In Jack Canfield’s book, “The Success Principles”, he said that we as humans must always to strive for constant never ending need of self-improvement.

Because of my injury, I now am able to read a lot of books, articles and learn a lot about life.

Life is a journey, and along the journey you should always keep on learning.

It is because the moment you stop learning, you start dying.

That is why I am using this great opportunity to make myself better, in all areas of my life.

Thank God for problems

Everytime you encountered some unexpected detour or problems in life, don’t get discouraged right away, because blessings do come beneath every adversity.

Let me tell you a story.

In Alaska, there has been an increased number of cod fishing. 

(codfish)

There were said that codfishes are delicious to eat especially when it is baked or poached.

News of this kind of fish reached the China.

The problem is the shipping.  At first they tried to deliver the codfish frozen but the people in the south complained that the fish looses its taste because of the long journey.

They then tried a different approach. This time they kept the codfish alive, but again because of the travel plus the fact that the codfish does not move a lot, it made the fish mushy upon reaching port and also lost its taste.

Then one person came up with an idea, they mixed some catfish together with the codfish. 

Catfish are found to be the enemy of the codfish.  Once they saw them they now stayed alert, and they always move around because the catfish are chasing them.

Hence when they reach port, the codfish are there alive and fresh.

Opportunities in every crisis

Friends, do you have problems in your life now?

Have you encountered an obstacle that seemed too big to overcome?

Are you being hunted by a grief, boredom or sadness ?

Sometimes I wondered, when bad things are happening to us, we ask God, “Why did this happen to me?”

But have you ever asked the same question when good things have come about?

We have the tendency to look on the negative with a magnifying glass, but the problem is, whatever we focus on grows.

Friends, just stay strong.

You may have a catfish in your life now, but always remember that catfish is sent by God as a medium for your abundance.

There is always good in every bad.

My injury would not prevent me in seeing God’s favor, he sent me my catfish to bless me.

You may not see it in your life now, but again, the very thing that is hurting your right now, could be the same thing that could catapult you into greatness.

Have a wonderful life.

Aim high, livelife, love God,

Ludwig Weigand