You may not choose to suffer, but you can choose to transform your suffering into a meaningful life.
Samet M. Kumar
In life we may experience many losses and sometimes it is not easy to confront what we must live, but we must realize that our life and the lives of others have significance, and that the meaning of life is the one we give to it.
Therefore, if you are experiencing a loss, being this the death of a loved one, loss of health, loss of a job, divorce – give yourself the value that you deserve and seize the opportunity to grow, in the midst of this pain, and heal your wounds. When you do that, you will feel satisfied and you will see life from another point of view. Do not forget that within us lies the strength to be able to grow in any transition and find meaning in how we transform it. This reminds me a story of love and faith, very close to my heart. I want to share it with you.
I met Orali and Moises Flores at the end of 2007. They came to a seminar I facilitated on grief and loss in Nicaragua, my country of origin. They had recently lost their beloved daughter, Albalicia, and were looking for some guidance on how to handle their grief. That was the beginning of a meaningful relationship. Orali, after learning about the values of belonging to a support group as one faces a loss, felt in her heart the desire to organize a self-help group for grieving persons and asked me for assistance in how to develop it. What began as a dream became a reality. Other bereaved people joined forces and PUDE (Personas Unidas en el Dolor y la Esperanza, people united in grief and hope) was born! This is the ultimate example of the power of transformation. As I stated before PUDE is very close to my heart because I was there at its origins and have witnessed the love, purpose and meaning each member hosts in their heart.
So, each time you may feel without hope as you face an unbearable loss, keep in mind:
- After the darkness comes light
- After the storm, calm
- After the night, the day
- Do not forget that at the end of the tunnel is light. That is the value of hope.
As you transform your loss, you transform your life!
Ligia M. Houben
