Sharing with others daily words, thoughts and meditations that bring myself hope and renewal during my own daily battles and frustrations with COPD/Asthma.  Sharing, because as we all know – without that horizon of hope, our daily renewal of faith and fight can dim in a hurry.

Take, read, meditate and hopefully find some of the same hope in your day as I have within mine….

The Word – ““If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” (Dalai Lama)

The Thought – Sometimes the biggest hurdle to overcome with our chronic illness and/or disability is the hurdle within ourselves, the power of the thoughts within our own minds.

We’ve discussed recently the changes that come within our travels of life when we realize we have a chronic illness and/or a disability.  Those who have been diagnosed with either know the pain and stress that can come with having to suddenly make changes in our trip of life to compensate for our own livelihood and future.

One thing many don’t think about is how the change can put us in a unique position to make a difference among others and this is especially true and possible when we have a solid relationship with the ‘Great Spirits’.

So many give in to an attitude of defeat, but for those that do, unlike the chronic illness and/or disability it is a choice that one can make – they either give in to defeat and deny their situation or they can use the change to be openly honest and use that honesty to make a difference.

A great way to begin making an honest difference can come when we simply become honest with others when asked ‘how are you doing?’ or ‘what can I do to help’.  Too many of us will just say ‘I’m doing fine’ or ‘that’s okay, I can get it done’.  Instead one should be honest and relay an answer describing just how your day is going, for instance with this writer I could respond this recent weekend with, “Well the weather is causing my lungs to do a lot of complaining” or for the other question, “I appreciate your offer, what would you like to help me with”.

By being honest in our conversations, we are making a difference from the fact that we are helping others get a better understanding of just what it may be like to walk a daily path with the companion of our chronic illness and/or disability.

If you are uncomfortable with being even slightly more honest, then lean on your times in meditation and/or prayer and seek the guidance of the ‘Great Spirits’ for moments of awareness and wisdom on just how to make a difference in the simple, small steps of honesty.

When one is freed, through meditations and/or prayer, to grasp the four fundamentals of life and happiness, then the hope, faith, love and grace that they represent will help immensely in giving one the courage to make that first small step of making a difference by being honest about our travels with our chronic illness and/or disability.

The Meditation/Prayer – As we find our quiet time with you, the ‘Great Spirits’, we acknowledged the awesomeness of the life you have surrounded us with as we travel our own personal highway of life.  To not travel it in such seclusion, we ask you ‘Great Spirits’ to present us with the guidance and wisdom we may need to find the courage to make a difference with others despite our new challenges of a chronic illness and/or disability.  We seek you to push us to make those first steps toward making a difference by teaching us to be honest with others about our walk, so that they may be given insights to a world beyond their own.  As always, we continue to find much more comfort and pleasure in our walk as we grasp tightly to those four fundamentals of life and happiness – hope, faith, love and grace.

And we all say Hallelujah, Amen.

(Copyright@2017, CrossDove Writer – This writing may not be reused in any manner without written permission.)

(More ‘Living 4 Today’ writings can be found at either wheezingaway.com or on Facebook at COPD Travels.)