Day #49 in A Year of Positivity

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn

Hello, ladies & gentlemen, and welcome to Day #49 in A Year of Positivity! Today’s quote comes from Jon Kabat-Zinn, “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf.” This is a very interesting quote.

When I think about the waves in this quote, I’m immediately reminded of a type that’s called grief and mourning the loss of loved ones. For example, my mother’s passing wasn’t an easy one for me to handle, and even though it’s been 24 years, it still feels as if I lost my baby brother yesterday to Neuroblastoma. I also lost an early childhood friend to the same disease as my brother.

I recently spoke out (privately) about my mother’s story as a means to talk about what happened with her. It wasn’t easy, as I’d shed a lot of tears, but I seriously needed to move through it. Also, being that it’s September, which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, I’ve decided to honor Rachael and Kristopher’s deaths by spreading awareness on seven of the most common childhood cancers. You’re welcome to check out all my Childhood Cancer Awareness posts on my Official Author Facebook Page and on my Instagram handle (I’ll be posting facts every day of September).

I can’t stop the waves of grief for my mother, my early childhood friend Rachael, and my baby brother Kristopher, but I can surf the waves. As you can see, I’ve surfed my waves it in two different styles, so it goes to show that learning to surf will be a little different in each situation. Keep in mind, this quote could also apply in other personal or financial areas of one’s life, as well as in one’s professional life. Grief is just simply one type of wave, and there are many kinds out there.

Waves are forces of nature, none of them are the same, and they’ll never stop coming. You will have them throughout your entire life in so many various ways. They can be very dangerous and they can easily overpower you and cause you to drown. It’s up to you to recognize what they mean for you, and to figure out when they’re coming. If you can nail those two tricks, then you’ll be able to learn how to surf and move through them. Don’t let those waves overpower you and consume you from the inside out!