What else could possibly go wrong? by Syndi Powell

 



What else could possibly go wrong? by Syndi Powell

 

Anyone else feeling that there's no way that anything worse could happen in this crazy year? Or is it just me? Seems like every time we turn around, there's another disaster or shortage or some newsworthy event that seems to put the world on a different spin. I've stopped watching the news because part of me doesn't want to know what else could go wrong.

The spring I was thirteen, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. A few weeks later, one of my little sisters got diagnosed with a bacterial infection in her hip socket that could affect her walking in the future. Then my other sister broke her arm. My mom started asking, "What else could possibly go wrong?" The next week, I came home with a note from the school stating that I failed the scoliosis screening. My mom stopped asking that question.

Although everything turned out all right in the end, it was a scary and uncertain couple of months for my family. We were thrown into chaos where nothing seemed it would ever be normal again. Sound familiar?

Or there was 2014 when my husband asked for divorce in the spring and I was diagnosed with breast cancer in the fall. It felt like my world had been smashed by a wrecking ball. Looking back on it now, I'm stronger and better after going through everything I had to. Would I want to repeat that year? Absolutely not. But I'm grateful for the lessons learned.

My family is currently in another chaotic cycle of illnesses and job losses and lives being turned upside down. I don't dare ask what could go wrong next because we seem to find another level of suffering. So what do we do?

For one thing, we keep going. To paraphrase one of my favorite romantic comedies, we get out of bed every morning. We remind ourselves to breathe. And then one day, we don't have to remind ourselves to get up and breathe. Even if we can't forget how good we once had it, we don't stay defeated. We follow doctor's orders. We look for new jobs. We buy a new house and say goodbye to the old. We welcome new pets into the family after grieving the old. But we never, ever give up.

Where are you and your family right now? Are you in a cycle of loss and illness? Are you in a period of growing pains? Don't give up, my sweet friend. It will get better, and you'll discover that you're stronger on the other side.


Comments

  1. I'm in awe of your positive determination and resilience, Syndi. Never giving up is the best way to tackle whatever life throws at us. I feel blessed every day for my family, even though pandemic restrictions are challenging. Thanks for the inspiration today. Stay well!

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  2. I'm so sorry for your crap times, but inspired by your resilience. I love "We remind ourselves to breathe. And then one day, we don't have to remind ourselves to get up and breathe. " and thank you for sharing it! I hope things turn around soon for your family. Prayers and positive thoughts are with you.

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  3. You are so strong. When everything is going wrong on both a broad and personal level, it's people like you who know you'll get through, because you've done it before. You're in my prayers.

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  4. I love your positive vibes, keep on going!! In a world where everything is turned upside down I pray that things will be normal again soon. I have family that is bitter right now that I hope soon we can heal and mend and be together. There is hope.

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  5. Syndi, I'm so sorry for the problems you've experienced in past and the ones you're going through now. Lifting you up, girl! You are such an inspirations to me!

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  6. Remember you're braver than you think to paraphrase Christopher Robin. My family is all cycling through recurring issues, but I believe that they will once again resolve themselves and that prayer works!

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  7. A very relatable post. I’m at an age where issues keep popping up, but I try to remember the thought from Shawshank Redemption, “Get busy living, or get busy dying.” We have to keep going, as hard as it may be to at times; and never give up. I hope future days will look brighter for all of us experiencing challenges in our lives. ( :

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  8. You've described real cycles of loss and recovery--or even near loss that took so much out of you. Thanks for the honest post!

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  9. I can so relate. There have been a number of times in my life when I dreaded the phone ringing, because it always seemed to be bad news. The current times are challenging, but there's an elderly lady in the church who determinedly calls practically every member almost everyday. It isn't a long conversation, she just wants to know if we're all right, and then she's off. She inspires me.

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