Going On Even When Bad Things Happen

There was a poignant movie that came out in the last few years called Super 8. It describes a time during the summer of 1979 when a group of friends witness a train crash and investigate subsequent unexplained events in their small town.

But there was an especially profound line in that movie that I've not forgotten.  Bad things happen but you can still live.  Unfortunately, a lot of people who face big time challenges or mountains in their lives don't know that. They somehow think that real, meaningful and purposeful life for them ended at some point. They feel paralyzed and spend most of their time just existing not living.

The good news is that we don't have to allow our circumstances to dictate whether we can still embrace life or not. Yes, there may be obstacles to overcome and life may be forever changed in some way but we can still live fully and vibrantly.

Here are some suggestions that might help.

First, take inventory and be reminded and thankful for what you still have.  Do you still have family, a home, resources, certain aspects of good health?  The list will depend on what you have and have not lost. Everyone's situation will be different. But be thankful for and enjoy what is still there. It matters.

Second, go do some things that you still enjoy. Music, sports, recreation, dancing, reading, socializing.  Go at your own pace, you may need to grieve or recuperate but start somewhere. Move. Depressed people often stay depressed because they think they can't function normally anymore. That's a lie and you need to convince yourself of that by taking action.

Third, serve someone else. It might be for someone going through something similar to yours or who is actually behind you on their journey. Go and care for them, teach them what you know while still growing yourself.  Often when we focus on others we get the attention off of us.

Finally, pray. You may not have a faith or spiritual background but I am confident that God is strongest when we are the weakest and that it grieves Him, too, to see us stuck. Ask Him to give you new strength, perspective and initiative. He still has a purpose for you, you know.

Yes, bad things happen to us all and they are not all our fault.  But we can take them on and still live.  In fact, we must. There's lot of life to still be lived.