Life, the game --- Who's the Referee

There is a Higher Being overseeing all of these. That's for sure.

No matter what your faith is, I feel that this is one absolute truth. Not everyone may agree with me, but I feel that with everything that has happened in my life, there's just no way that this can't be true.

I wrote about my emotional trough last week --- that phase that I cannot articulate well but that has been wrecking havoc on my July 2013. Now that July is almost over (with only a few days left), I hope that this phase ends as well. Whatever happens, I go back to this affirmation that the Higher Being is up there like one great efficient manager who lets us be, allowing us to get lost in this labyrinth to learn the lessons on our own, but who knows our deepest desires and pains to guide us softly and gently back to our paths whenever we realize our limitations and ask for Him.

The answer to our prayers is not always "Yes", the happy ending, or the most ideal circumstance. But we are grateful because His answer is always perfect and right. I'm sharing my short prayer of gratitude after realizing that circumstances were rearranged for the best.

July 22, 2013 

Father, I am so grateful

Indeed, You work in mysterious ways.

Thank You for ordering my steps.

I almost fell but You saved me.

I reflected on the whirlwind of this seemingly confusing trough and finally nailed down that "eye of the storm". I took out my journal and tried to retrace my way through those isolated moments which stood out from the routine. I wrote down the dates starting from the most recent, the events that have kept me busy, and those little distractions which managed to sneak in and disturb my semi-organized life (I'm not that much of a stickler for OC-ness like I once was). And then I worked my way back. When I reached July 5, I stopped. That's it. I got you little pesky thing. 

Now that I can rewind the substance and form of all these little disturbances, I realize that Life is a child. Naughty and playful. And it doesn't discriminate on age, maturity, stature, status, and circumstance. You just have to conquer the "child" in Life. Every little thing happens for a reason and we do learn a thing or two from even the most childish of games. I learned some and I can now move on.

Lessons learned and re-learned:

• Be always on guard. There always seems to be an envious force creating that perfect storm when you're having a smooth-sailing journey.
• This is literal: My right hand got wounded, either from my umbrella or another sharp object. When I saw the wound with the bit of skin stripped off, I ignored it and dismissed it as a minimal gash. After a few days, I realized how painful the little gash is (and it still hurts until now, literally). On the figurative side, this can happen too. A LOT. So IF and WHEN you are in that stage of pain, please do not ignore it. Try to heal. Thanks to the Higher Being who allowed us to meet true friends who can help us walk through this ordeal and somehow survive. It will not be a stroll in the park but at least we have shoulders to lean on and someone who listens.
• Everything happens for a reason. No doubt. Just don't ask too many questions. Some answers are not given.
• When it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be. Just let it be and stand your ground.

Credits: http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs21/f/2007/234/e/d/The_Art_of_Letting_Go_by_ilovestrawberries.jpg

I wrote down the minutes of Life's conversations on the opposite page of my journal entry. I crossed out the "wrong answers" and tallied my score in this game. Well, Life has it's own rating, which I may never know until much later. But I'd like to believe that I got a good score this time.

Again, I warn myself that the game is tricky and will not be over until it really is. When is that --- who knows? Life, the child, never tires in playing games on us. We just have to be careful to always look up to this Higher Being when things turn gray and confusing. Someone much bigger than us can see the big picture and He will show us the way if we ask Him to. Just like how a team would guard its lead towards the last two minutes of the game, I will hang on. 

I trust that someone Bigger and Higher have fixed the rules for Life's games. He whistles to call our attention on violations. Sometimes, He ejects us from the game when we've gone overboard. It's not really to ostracize us or make us question our worth or strengths. But it's only to give us the space and time to cool off and ponder on the consequences of our actions.

We also learn that this little child, Life, does not play fair sometimes. But let it be. We focus on the game because after all, it is the JOURNEY --- how we build relationships, how we use our talents and gifts, how we play it --- that really matters.

Ciao, my dears! Practice, practice and break a leg (not your hearts, please)...

Credits: examiner.com