To Thank or Not to Thank

Have you ever reminisced over something that was pityingly painful and with the loupe of looking back to see that it led you to something that was strangely superior? How many instances in your life that once were the most devastating disasters are now merely the turning of a page to a new chapter in your life that was better for you? Not that you ever want to take that terrible trail again; however, it did serve a purpose.

Everyone who takes the time to look back can see countless episodes of bad things working out for good. It doesn’t matter if it was a letter to John or a request to remain acquaintances in an affair gone afoul. Perhaps it was the employer who was sizing down or taking the Donald Trump approach of ending your working relationship. We have all had those times that life doesn’t just hand us lemons; it gets Randy Johnson to throw them at us at 100 miles per hour.

Here is what is wandering around the empty corridors of my cranium. Do you have the ability to look at a current situation that is still painful and make a prophecy for future fun? Imagine you are taking the dangerous drive to visit the Oracle of Delphi. She shares with you all the pain and suffering that lies before you and all the pleasure and joy that will result. Those silver linings are the hope for you. Now come back to planet reality and look at your life. Whenever the tumultuous times terrify can you use your creativity and imagination to see the hope-filled happiness on the other side? One thing I am learning is to look forward to the fabulous future in the midst of feelings of failure.

Now comes the part that is frying my brain. I am told that there will be a day when some of the recent recollections of life’s distressing doctrines will be grounds for gratitude. There is an amazing song by Chicago that says, “Suddenly remembering doesn’t haunt me.” The crooner continues to say that he would have missed out on the best thing in his life if not for a painful experience and he wants to thank the girl who hurt him. What if we could thank those who hurt us – not after the fact – but at the time it is happening? Someone says something cruel and insensitive and you say, “Thanks for the feedback.” Someone betrays you and you say, “This will lead me to new relationships that will make me stronger. I appreciate this.” A lover leaves and shatters your heart and the reply is, “I can’t wait to see who will come along and receive the love that I have yet to give.”

Thanking those who hurt you AT THE TIME is something that I cannot do. But what if we could? Not only would it give you a new perspective on the dangerous and deadly disease of depression but it would also have the side effect of messing with the minds of the angst causing antagonists. I’m going to give it a try.