Hang in there, things will get better.

The Svendsen Family - Eric, Samuel, Leanne, Joshua (top row), Nora, Kathryn, Chanelle, Emma

If I could go back, in my mind, to a day in my life when I was really down, it would be nice to be able to see into the future.  If could see things as they are today, with the many blessings that have been given to me, it would give me hope knowing that things wouldn't always be so discouraging.  

The message here is we do not know what the future holds.  When things are bad, it is hard to raise your head out of the mire to see beyond the darkness.  There are no guarantees, of course, that things will be better, but I think it is true that fortunes ebb and flow as tides do.  The trick is to see beyond the low points and not be too haughty during the high ones.  I know that, at this moment, things are very good.  What the future holds is unknown, but low and high points are likely in the forecast.  

This is why taking satisfaction from the moment is so important.  Instead of looking forward to what may be or dreading what could happen, it is far better to just be in the present.  Others around you may be going through a difficult time.  You have been there, show them compassion.  Maybe they are at a high point in their lives; be happy for them.  But above all, be part of their lives, regardless of where they are at.  Any love you share with them will likely be reflected back tenfold as time progresses.

When the world is falling apart around you, as it inevitably will once again, there will be people around you who can support and care for you as you did for them.  I think of an individual as a support beam in a structure.  By themselves, they may not be able to take the load.  But a well-engineered design will allow other members to help any one part to manage the load.  Together, we are better.

The "bridge" that we construct starts with loving and supporting those around us.  Over time, the structure builds and those supporting elements grow in place to help through the difficult times.  We are all better for the fact that others are in our lives, and it started by caring for the needs of others.

It turns out that the best way to help yourself is to help others first.  Then they will be there for you.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com