Acceptance

To a lot of people, acceptance, is a four-lettered-word.

It’s not easy to grasp the meaning of acceptance.  In that respect it’s a lot like the word, forgiveness.

Accepting a situation is not, by any stretch of the imagination, feeling comfortable with the outcome.  A few years back I was going in for surgery to remove some questionable growths on my thyroid.  I was terrified that the results would come back positive for cancer.  I remember sitting in the bathtub, with the jacuzzi jets blaring, so my family couldn’t hear me sobbing, and making plans in my head for what should happen to my kids and husband after my feared death.  I had someone really great picked out for my husband to get re-married, because she loved my kids and I knew she’d take good care of them.  I cried my eyes out many times worrying about an outcome that I had no control over before I realized that all of my worrying and crying and planning was not, for a minute, going to change the final outcome of the situation.

I didn’t want cancer and I was pretty sure I’d be bummed if that’s what the surgeon found, but there wasn’t a single thing I could do that would change that outcome — no matter how hard I tried.  It was in the bathtub that I came to realize that accepting the possibilty of an outcome of cancer was something that could happen and I was wasting precious time worrying about it.  The surgery was going to take place, I was going into the hospital for a few days, they were going to cut my throat open and do what needed to be done and soaking in a thousand tubs wasn’t going to change that from happening.  I took comfort in the fact that I had a faith in God and believed that no matter what happened, in the end, I would be taken care of by God; whether I had cancer or not.  That was a peaceful feeling and I clung to it whenever my mind went to those dark possibilities.

In the recovery room the surgeon told me that the tumor was, in fact, cancerous and that we would need to decide what to do next but I am telling the honest truth when I say that I had a feeling of serenity and peace and not panic. 

Think about your own life.  Where are you resisting acceptance of something?  Is there a family member who is not acting the way you would like them to act?  Are you arguing with your spouse or co-workers over ‘the little things’?  Are there test results that you’re waiting for that you have no control over?

Learn acceptance and you will find peace.  I promise.

Be well.