In the past few days, events in my life have felt tumbled and tossed, necessitating regaining my footing, calling on family and friends for emotional support and guidance, and even more importantly, my deep and abiding faith that all is in Divine Order. A job that I began more than a year ago, ran its course and I was laid off. Knowing that nothing is permanent in the form that it is in and that change is inevitable, still it came as  a shock when I received the news. Simultaneous emotions washed over me. I loved my work, writing from the convenience of home or on the road when I traveled, about addiction, recovery and mental health issues. I enjoyed the creative camaraderie of the far flung team of writers who put their hearts and souls into their work as well. I grew and learned as a journalist as a result and I admit with pride, that I came up with some of my best work.

In my typical fashion, I began compiling ideas, doing outreach to contacts, asking for leads, updating my resume, sending it out, applying for unemployment- never having done that before, since I had always had another job to go to before leaving the first one. I have set intent for the ideal situation to arrive and I sense that it is waiting for me to open the door and usher it in.  Doing that moment by moment.

Yesterday, I took what I think of as a Miracle walk  with my friend Paul Dengler who wears many hats. One is that of a Forrest Gump impersonator. He embodies the essence of the fictional character, except he is a REALLY smart man.  He has a great deal of life wisdom to share as well. We were talking (as we always do) about synchronicities, the path we find ourselves on, right place right time, highest good outcomes, as well manna-festing the lives of our dreams. He was helping me clarify the next steps along my career path and the subject of prayer and faith came up. At that moment, an insect flew by. At first we thought it was a dragonfly. It landed to the side of the path and we walked over to see it. Not a dragonfly …a PRAYING MANTIS. Clearly, someone was listening. Other ideas came pouring out on our 90 minute meander.

One of the things I have discovered is the ability we all have to use whatever we call prayer as a tool to focus on what we want, and that for which we are grateful. Often, people will pray for things to get better, while focusing on how bad the current situation is. I prefer to shine the light on what IS working, rather than what isn’t even while correcting what I can. Am I wishing I still had the relative security of this job?  Yes. Do I know what the outcome of my pro-active seed planting will be? Nope, and I need to live in that in-between, in the meantime state. That’s just how life is. Can I be with it while I am waiting to see what emerges? Yes,  and  I am willing to have fun imagining how amazingly it is all unfolding.

What can you do to create a life that you love in the midst of change and challenge?