Many of the things we count on in life as being solid and certain are actually only temporary — our bodies, our mates, our families, our jobs. This is the nature of life. So how can we live comfortably with this realization?

One of my teachers repeated, “Love my uncertainty.” Uncertainty has always been very difficult for me to embrace. I like to know what’s going to happen next and I try to plan ahead as much as possible. But when I plan too much I don’t leave space open for Divine play. My personal life has recently taken a painful and unexpected twist. A relationship that I value is ending and I have done all that I can do to make it work, but to no avail. I have two options – accept and move into the unknown or try desperately to hold onto something that will create more pain, stress and illness. The embracing the unknown can feel scary, but this is the path I’ve chosen.

In reality every day we awake not knowing what will happen to us. In modern, Western culture, many things move along in a predictable, even manner. But when the unexpected happens we’re often unable and unwilling to look at the opportunities it brings. So many people said they changed their lives and moved to different, better places following the 9/11 terrorists attacks. Others moved away from New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. So far most of these people have felt that their moves were for the better and were really part of the Divine Invisible Hand moving them. The moves made them slow down, some moved closer to family and others appreciate the moment more.

If you are in a situation of uncertainty – looking for a job, worried about a situation, waiting for a mate, always hoping for something that has not yet come, open up and look around. Say a prayer of gratitude for what is and accept the future with all the twists and turns it may bring. Take a deep breath and smile. Yes, smile. Right now everything is okay.

Bio: Debra Moffitt is author of Awake in the World: 108 Practices to Live a Divinely Inspired Life. A visionary and teacher, she’s devoted to nurturing the spiritual in everyday life. She leads workshops on spiritual practices at the Sophia Institute and other venues in the U.S. and Europe. Her mind/body/spirit articles, essays and stories appear in publications around the globe and were broadcast by BBC World Services Radio. She has spent over fifteen years practicing meditation, working with dreams and doing spiritual practices. Visit her online at http://www.debramoffitt.com and http://www.awakeintheworld.com.