Over the last few years, I’ve had the pleasure of having several conversations with Teresa through LinkedIn. An amazing encourager, she has elevated me more than once with her kind positivism. As founder and creative director of His Creation Works studio and a fellow writer, Teresa graciously accepted my invitation to guest post.
The Passage from Innocence to Wisdom
Remember when we were young, everything we could imagine had a tint of optimism and the rose-colored halo of impossible possibilities. The world was our oyster, and like the unsuspecting oyster one day we noticed the smooth surface of our lives began to have rough spots. Irritations, frustrations, and disillusionment set in.
Our once carefree lives became a series of struggles, we struggled for success and sometimes the struggle seemed a frustrating failure, no matter how hard we tried. What took us years to grasp was that everything we were experiencing was creating something beautiful within.
Often in our young lives we rebelled against the realities of an imperfect world. Disillusionment meant we had to adapt, to change our focus to see things as they are, not how we wanted them to be.
The good news, we discovered, is that we had choices. Positively or negatively, how we responded, determined the direction of our lives. We’re inspired by those who have overcome great obstacles and succeeded in the end. All of us can find that spark of endurance even as we develop a positive outlook.
My grandmother, who endured two world wars, the Great Depression, poverty, and early widowhood was a great inspiration. Her words often resound in my own life.
God never shuts a door without opening a window.
“Always,” she said, “if you take the time to move away from the closed door long enough to find the window, you will see the light shining through.” Her wisdom helped me weather the many storms of life.
I learned not to pound on the closed door asking “why?” But to step back and instead seek the light and ask where? And to take the next step into the future.
My grandmother’s pearls of wisdom came from a lifetime of accepting what she could not change; with hope and a positive outlook she sought an inner light to guide her.
Wisdom, like the oyster’s pearl grows amid adversity. Wisdom returns us to a youthful peace amid the turbulence of life.
You can reach out to Teresa on LinkedIn and comment below.
Do you have something great to share? Let me hear from you. I’m always looking for inspirational stories.
Stay Safe!
It’s a difficult thing to do, to stop pounding on the closed door, to stop asking why. Our first instinct is always to fix, to do better. And many times that simply is not an option. It can take time to remember, or realize, that the window (of opportunity, if only we choose too see it!) is right there in front of us.
Your grandmother was right. In challenging times–be they of our own making or simply the time we live in–good can be found and expanded.
Thank you for the reminder!