Radical Acceptance

My friend Mike sent me an article about "what not to say to someone who is grieving."  Evidently Alisyn Camerota, the news caster, her husband died of pancreatic cancer.  He was 58 years young.

The article is a very good read.

here is a link to the article

There are many good points in the article, but one of them that I thought was a priority to share is the concept of "radical acceptance." She explains it like this-

"I’ve started the practice of radical acceptance. This concept was introduced to my husband and me by our grief counselor immediately after his diagnosis. It goes something like this: Some things in life are glorious, and some things suck. Try to accept life on its own terms and deal with the hand you’re dealt.

Radical acceptance has been a game-changer for me and how I tackle the tough stuff. Instead of asking, “Why me?” or “How can life be so unfair?” I say, “This is what I’m dealing with. What’s the best way forward?”"

It is my opinion that we humans, we Americans, we Christians try to change too much.  We think we can will something away.  We think that we can pray something away.

Sometimes we should work to change things.  But, and this is a big but, sometimes we just need to accept what life has brought us.

We can ask God to give us a rose garden, but we must also remember that every rose has it's thorns.

Even though life has it's thorns, it's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.