“It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” ~Epictetus
More information about Epictetus is here if you are interested
About nine years back I was at the lowest point of my life.
We had been trying to start a family for close to four years by that point.
The forty-plus consecutive months of “not pregnant” verdict were starting to take their toll on me. That second line on the pregnancy test strip seemed like it would never appear. Life felt like it was a never-ending cycle of false hope that was always crushed in the end.
I wouldn’t wish that kind of despair on my worst enemy.
I am a huge believer in the power of gratitude. I tried hard to look at all that we did have and find contentment in where we were. But anywhere I turned, it seemed like all I could see was pregnant women, or moms with children. And instantly, it would pull my thoughts back to this one thing that was lacking in our life.
I sincerely believe that “thanks” is one of the most powerful words in any spoken vocabulary. And that gratitude is one of the best antidotes to many of the problems we face.
In this situation, though, where I was hanging by a thin frayed strand that threatened to snap any minute, there was another word that helped me more in keeping it together.
And that’s the simple word “yet”.
Day after day. Month after month. Year after year. I reminded myself:
I’m not pregnant yet.
It’s not our time yet.
Continue reading because Sumintha reminds us that “yet” can be used negatively.
I haven’t messed up YET but of course I will soon.
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