Last week I learned that a good friend is battling Stage 3 breast cancer. I also discovered a few other friends were dealing with equally challenging and sometimes heartbreaking situations…. A son who is addicted, a child who is suicidal, learning you will never have children, burying a parent.
Do you know what all of these situations have in common? They have the ability to leave a person feeling powerless. They put a human being on her knees, where surrender is usually the only option.
If I could wave a magic wand and remove any of these situations from my friends’ lives I would. I do not want them to hurt the way they are hurting. But I can’t fix it – for any of them. 
What I can do is see them as whole. I see them as filled with the exact same spark of Divinity each of us has. I see them as strong and filled with light and love.
There is one more thing I can do. I can take action. Their stories arrived like dominoes in my heart, begging me to see the blessings in my own life.
I am using the privilege of my ease to make the world a better place for others – because I have that space in my heart right now. I am not dealing with addiction or cancer or grief in this moment. Any problem I face is minor and as Mel Robbins says “If it can be fixed with action, you don’t have a real problem.” So I am taking action.
I’m working a few extra hours to find amazing women whose stories inspire so I can share their journey on my podcast. I’m getting on Facebook live when I don’t feel like it. I’m putting down the book so I can sit with my son while he plays video games because apparently he will talk to me when his game is on. I’m saying “yes” to requests for my time where I feel I can make a difference for someone.
These were all things that I resisted two weeks ago and now that I’ve been reminded what real difficulty looks like I’m changing my ways. I can’t wipe away the pain of my friends but I can sure as hell not sit on my ass when I could be doing something to make the world and my relationships better.
And I’m emailing you this as your own call to action. You are in one of two places:
You are either dealing with something real – like grief or cancer or mental illness – and if that is the case I send you my love and my prayers. Let people help you, please!
Or you are like me. You have “problems” and “challenges” and they can all be fixed by action. Do not wait another minute to contribute to this world in YOUR way because it feels hard. Resistance is a luxury of privilege. Use your privilege to help and heal – not to stay stuck.
And if that doesn’t inspire you let me tell you about my friend with breast cancer…
I checked in on her the other day at 7am. She had just started chemo the day before. I asked how she was feeling and she sent me a picture from the track we walk on. “I’m on mile 3. For the last few weeks I’ve been taking it slow because I said I could ‘feel’ the cancer. Well this morning I got up and said ‘Cancer is going to feel ME!”
Now, if you have cancer or are dealing with any of those human trials that can put you on your knees I am not suggesting you need to be like my friend. She is uniquely badass. BUT if you have been saying “I should start a podcast. I should change my job. I should write that blog. I should make that call” then do it for goodness sakes! Don’t wait one second longer. Take action. Make the world FEEL YOU! Believe me, we will all be better off with a bit more of YOU in it.
In love and light,
Patty
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