Tell Me Why the Road Turned - Understanding Life Altering Changes

 How can we understand those sudden inexplicable, life changing events that crush our hearts and cause us to believe our dreams have been destroyed; the changes that cause us to cry out, "Why, why did this happen." All of us, at some time in our lives, are faced with a loss or unexpected change so great it defies any reasonable explanation. A completely unforeseen event that causes the sudden death of a healthy loved one, a job we were ready to retire from with a company that has existed more than a hundred years that suddenly closes, there are too many reasons to list; but we have all been there. The event is personal; the emotions are universal. Why me?

The loss of a loved one, through death or simply learning they have made a choice in their life that does not include us is devastating. It is human to imagine that we can count on people to be there, count on things we believe to be truth to last forever. When we are faced with a new reality it is difficult to understand why the road turned. Our lives become so enmeshed with another person or many other people that we cannot imagine a life without them. Yet sometimes life changes on a dime, the road has turned without warning.

Whatever your loss may be, and every loss is unique and personal to us, some things are true for all of humanity. Every person has a life plan; a point of entry and exit that may defy our ability to comprehend why, a purpose that may take far less years for them to accomplish then we imagined we had with them. They may burst into our lives and bring joy and companionship that allows us to see the best of life and then just as suddenly leave, through death or a personal choice. We feel bereft and heartbroken; searching for a reason we can grasp and understand. We search for a balm for the pain that is raw and palpable. If we can force ourselves to pull away from the loss and look from a distance without attachment or pain, we can better grasp that even though that person was so much a part of us, they are also on a personal life journey; one that includes choices we may never understand; including leaving or dying suddenly.

The very same holds true for every loss in our lives that take a deep toll on our emotions. Many test our faith to the level of our endurance. Yet, they are a part of our own life journey. The changes that cause us the most turmoil and pain, that force unwanted or frightening change on us, are the ones that teach us to let go and allow our life plan to unfold before us. It requires great faith to do this without questioning why. Yet it is all that we have when these kinds of events happen in our lives. Somehow, we must find the strength to accept that the change was always anticipated at a higher level of our consciousness, and that it is here in our life path to bring us to the highest and best good we can experience to grow and prosper.

We understand why the road turned when we realize that a much bigger hand than our own is guiding the ship we travel on to ensure that we arrive at our perfect destination. The real test is to trust that it will arrive where we always planned to arrive, on time and in time. This is real the cycle of life.