You don't have to look around much to find a hefty supply of adversity nowadays.
But it’s how we meet and overcome it that makes all the difference. The best formula I know of has been passed down for generations in my family. Roy Jones was a lifelong educator whose message to his many descendants about living a balanced and happy life was this; "Don't Worry. Don't Hurry. Don't Hate.”
““Don’t Worry. Don’t Hurry. Don’t Hate.””
There were plenty of hard times, economic depressions, two world wars, and deaths of children that Roy experienced over his long life. It certainly wasn't a cakewalk. This is one of the defining examples of Grandpa’s ability to rise above adversity, My cousin, Ed related a tragic story to us at a recent family gathering. Ed was only 19 when he found Uncle Paul’s body in his bedroom. A gun in his hand, our dear uncle had taken his own life. Ed ran to the home of our family doctor who came to the house and pronounced him dead. Dr. Green said that he would go with Ed to tell our grandfather of the horrible incident. Grandpa Jones, over 80 years of age, met them at the door and received the bad news. His tearful response was this; “How could Paul do that? Life is wonderful.” In the moment of greatest suffering Grandpa could only claim the marvel of God’s generosity and the bounty of a life lived with gratitude. There was simply no value in worry, hurry, or hate.
Though we face some difficult situations right now, I can assure you they won’t hang around forever. Gloom and doom projections will have dissipated like fog on the ocean sunrise. An old friend of mine once said; "Things come to pass, not to stay." He is right of course. The trick of coming out better on the other side is to make a conscious decision every day. Don't Worry. Don't Hurry. Don't Hate. You might be surprised at how well things turn out after all.
For more information about Stress Management: Doing What Matters in Times of Stress: An Illustrated Guide is a stress management guide for coping with adversity.