Live courageously from your heart!
Here are the top three best Heartstone Journey posts by category for 2012. It is always pretty cool to see which posts resonated with people the most throughout the year. I want to personally thank you for being a part of the Heartstone Journey community. I believe these posts can impact the world, one person at a time and you are a part of that movement. I look forward to an awesome 2013!
Here is Angela’s story.
Lupus SLE is an autoimmune disease that basically attacks its own body tissue. It is like having an overactive immune system. Immunosuppressive drugs are usually what stops lupus from progressing. Lupus can also attack major body organs such as the heart, kidneys, liver, joints, and just about anywhere in the body. I was not aware of this debilitating disease until I was diagnosed with it in 2004. Most people with lupus are often misdiagnosed because lupus can mask itself, causing it to appear like many other illnesses. As my battle with lupus progressed, it was clearly evident that my life would never be the same.
I connected with James on Google+ and recently we had a conversation on gathering strength on life’s storms which he shared that he lost his daughter to cancer back in 2001. He then shared a piece that he wrote about this tough experience. I was so touched by his powerful story that I asked him if I could feature what he wrote on Heartstone. Here is the continuation of that story.
If you missed ‘A Reflection in Time,’ the first part of this powerful story you can read it here.
I ran upstairs to change out of my business clothes into something more comfortable and came down stairs with the movie in one hand and bottle of wine in the other hand, preparing to pour a victory drink. I asked her if she would like a glass, and she declined, which was not her usual response. So I showed her the movie I had rented and asked her if she wanted to watch it, and she declined that too, saying, “This is not going to be a good night for a movie.” As I stood there puzzled and confused, she continued. “I have something to tell you…” and she handed me a folded letter. With one last glance, she turned and walked into the other room. As I came to the word ‘divorce’ written upon the letter, I fell to my knees, paralyzed as my reality became a silhouette of yesterday arriving at the edge of a broken heart. My happily-ever-after turned to dust.
I found myself in the squalor of my own ‘pig slop’ just as the prodigal son did. I had to stray far so I could begin to understand that the recklessness of my choice to have ‘my portion’ right now placed me in ruins. I had foolishly pursued many temporary things such as wealth, power, and success. With a present-tense gratification, without any care or concern about my future…my selfish nature wanted it now!
