spiritual enlightenment

Merilee
Merilee Member Posts: 3,047
edited June 2014 in Who or What Inspires You?

Any one besides me getting any spiritual insights from this experience? I would love to here them.

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  • Merilee
    Merilee Member Posts: 3,047
    edited May 2011

    My brother passed away last Sunday. He had stage 4 lung cancer with mets to the brain. This experience has led me to understand just how fortunate I am to be standing here. I want to celebrate everyday of life I have been given as it is truly a gift and not a right.  While this was extremely heart breaking and terrifying to see while I am on chemo myself, it has given me a new perspective on what constitutes a problem and  how small most are compared to having to be at the end of your life early. He was 53.

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  • luv_gardening
    luv_gardening Member Posts: 1,393
    edited May 2011

    My heartfelt empathy goes out to you Merilee at the loss of your brother.

    I wouldn't say spiritual enlightenment but I certainly did have a new perspective for at least a year, but that was interrupted by physical and mental overload when I had to help look after my mother with Alzheimer's.  The Alzheimer's is something else.  Memory and reasoning went out the door and crazy aggravation and confusion took it's place.  That makes me thankful I only had BC.  Dad only lasted 6 weeks with pancreatic cancer, and they both made each other miserable when they were together.  Maybe they enjoyed being miserable in a strange sort of way. It's all made me question what's really important in life.

    I had a couple of emotional highs that were unexpected around the early time of diagnosis that have shown me the potential that I have to get there again and that's what I'm trying to get back to.  Also I've "met" some amazing ladies on these boards, such supportive and beautiful souls who have given me back my faith in people.

    -Sheila- 

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  • Merilee
    Merilee Member Posts: 3,047
    edited June 2011

    What is important in life?

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  • flannelette
    flannelette Member Posts: 984
    edited June 2011

    Love, as in you holding your dog, as in my partner David here holding our 3 week old kitten.

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  • luv_gardening
    luv_gardening Member Posts: 1,393
    edited June 2011

    That's the 64 million dollar question Merilee!  I'm sure it's different for everyone, but most will say their loved ones, family etc.  For me it's about not spending time each day going over things I can't change from the past or worrying about what might happen in the future.  That way I get to borrow trouble that may never happen.  Instead if I try to focus on the present and assume things will go well, I can enjoy the present, and that will lift my mood ensuring that I will probably not care about the minor irritations.  Yes Flannelette, loving what we have, now.  

    The happier we are, the more happiness we spread, the more that comes back to us. Putting it into practice requires overriding a lifetime of habitual worrying or ruminating.  I've eased off worrying about the past, but still dip into that vast unknown future looking for what "might" go wrong.  What if I make a spelling mistake?  Inadvertently upset someone? Get mets? Chatter chatter...

    So, just being happy and care free for the sake of it is important to me to overcome anxiety and to form a good foundation to build on.  Then I'll be more available to help others.  All the material things, position in life, reputation, popularity, I think they're all a construct to try and boost our self-esteem or ego.  Then we tend to rely on those impermanent outside things instead of our own internal strength.  Hence my screen name, Joy Lies Within, to remind me.  

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  • Merilee
    Merilee Member Posts: 3,047
    edited June 2011

    Well said

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  • pumpkinweed
    pumpkinweed Member Posts: 32
    edited August 2011

    Hi Merilee and everyone else,

    I am so sad to hear about your brother.  My heart breaks for another life lost to this dreadful disease.

    I am happy to have found this thread today.  I love what you wrote JoyLivesWithin and flannelette.  For me, BC was definitely a spiritual journey, and I have learned and grown much.  I think you are wise to be seeking after these things, Merilee, and I encourage you to seek after God specifically.  I think that being right with God is the most important thing in life.  Everything else flows out of relationship with Him.  This has been my exprience, anyways.  Here are some things I have written on this topic:  www.hisfaceinmyjourney.blogspot.com

    I am also reading an excellent book that I recommend to everyone.  "Is God to Blame?" by Gregory Boyd.  It helps address some difficult questions about pain and suffering and why things happen.   

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