Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

Last night I felt numb with despair.  Part of me knew my daughter will survive, but last night I wanted more.  I wanted her to not have pain or terror or interruption of her life.  I felt greedy.  I thought I should call my friend, but I was too dark to speak to anyone.  Today I am packing up for our trip to our daughter, and kept myself busy all morning with that and laundry.  I am reading the Chernov biography of Ulysees S. Grant, and his trials and tribulations remind me we can do great things with the tools and limitations we have.  He struggled, and he was kind and brave and determined.  People's lives are messy, and full of setbacks, hardships and challenges.  Otherwise, we'd be cows, and then we'd be hamburger, so really there is not a lot of choice.  Being human means suffering.  The trick is to avoid as much as possible blinding ourselves to the beautiful moments in amongst the suffering.  Birds are singing, squirrels are digging holes in my succulents, I'm feeling the joy of walking without my knee being sore.  It's ALL happening.  And it is for my daughter as well and my granddaughter.  They are not diminished by this challenge.  They are not less.  They are stronger and more appreciative and more loving and kinder.  It's not easy, but it's rich, this life we are given.