10 of 27

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 2

spread and the doctors could do no more and sent him home. It was Christmas and I wanted to make the holidays as cheerful as possible for our children. At the same time, I had to make funeral arrangements and watch the man I married only six months earlier waste away and die in my arms. At first, I cried. Everywhere and everything reminded me of him, but my family and friends were there to comfort me.

One friend, in particular, owned a ranch with several horses. I had formed an especially close bond with one of the young Arabian horses named "Biggy." For some reason, I felt a need to be near him and the other horses. When I arrived at the ranch, my friend was in tears. The veterinarian said Biggy had colic and wouldn't live through the night. Two weeks had passed since I lost my husband; I couldn't lose Biggy, too.

I asked my friend if I could stay with Biggy, and spent three hours alone with him in his stall, rubbing his stomach and talking to him, willing him to live. The next morning, my friend called, elated, and told me that Biggy pulled through and wasn't going to die, and I felt as though a weight had been lifted from my chest. We both cried, and then she said, "You need to read Many Lives, Many Masters, by Brian Weiss." My friend knew what I needed. Reading that book started my healing process; and with each spiritual book I read thereafter, the stress and grief were replaced by hope and serenity.

To paraphrase the Serenity Prayer, we need to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can change, but most importantly, the wisdom to know the difference.

References:
The Serenity Prayer, by Reinhold Niebuhr: http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/ special/serenity.html
http://ww w.studygs.net/stress.htm
http:/ /www.helpguide.org/mental/stre ss_signs.htm

Learn more about this author, Sharon Lea Hill.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

• << previous page
• 1
• 2

Add your voice

Know something about Best ways to minimize stress?
We want to hear your view. Write now!