November is always a nostalgic month for me. Not because the year is coming to an end–well, perhaps that plays a part–but because so many memories surface. Emotional triggers fire like a shotgun.
But this year, the nostalgia is not painful or achey. The nostalgia is like a beautiful rose in a garden. While the thorns are still there, a new growth has taken place. I love the symbolism of the rose because it is a reflection of both strength and hope. Thorns and blossoms. Sun and rain.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about serenity over the past year, it is this: peace does not come when everything is certain. Serenity abides where there is trust. Thunderclouds and storms will inevitably come over us, but trust is what carries us through.
Embracing life’s storms from a place of openness allows us to look for the light even amidst the darkest valley. Each moment, each breath, is an opportunity to choose trust over uncertainty and embrace serenity. When I tune into my experience in this way, beauty surrounds me. The songbirds sing louder and clearer, and the contrast of colors in the sky become a watercolor wonder.
For the first time in my life, I am filled with deep, abiding peace. I’m not afraid of what lies ahead of me or concerned with what’s behind. No matter how difficult life may feel at times, knowing everything is just a collection of breaths releases me from being overwhelmed. Living moment by moment will bring me where I need to be, by being here now. Each moment, each breath, is a rose to cherish.
Trust is the soil through which I’m taking root. I will embrace uncertainty. I will continue to water the seed of my heart by nurturing who I truly am. I will continue to weed the garden of my mind and breathe in the aroma of tranquility and roses. I will continue to look for the miracle in every sunrise and the gift within every storm.
Every thorn will show its bloom. Every storm will make me new.
I am the rose.
And so are you.