SWB: Flickers from the North

Northern lights image from Redbubble.

Throughout this last week, its been a combination of joy and struggle. Joy for the holiday and struggle for ongoing back problems for my husband. We're going on week 3 with the challenges of disk problems all during the busiest time of the year.

Thankfully though, there have been flickers of joy and hope in the midst of all this. These may not be visible like the beauty of the Northern Lights pictured above, but they are reminders that all will be well.

Flickers like:
Family dinners where taking a prepackaged veggie/cheese tray is totally cool as a dish to pass.
Opening gifts with my husband and kids after midnight worship leading into Christmas wee-hours.
Seeing my husband happily distracted from discomfort by the books and music he received.
Enjoying a salon therapy afternoon with my daughter.
Play Wii games all week-end long. DJ Hero is the best!
Reading a whole novel in a day.
Making headway with the specialist, physical therapist, and plan of action a full week ahead of what we were originally told.
Learning that surgery is NOT an option and PT and Chiropractic care is!
Seeing my husband feeling better and getting around more independently than he has been for weeks.

All week in these flickers, I feel G-d has been reminding me of the words a friend told me, "It's going to be alright." I've had them echoed to me in the voice of my children, in the call back from the specialist that an appointment was available on the holiday week after all, and in the comfort and prayers of family and friends.

In the moments that I become truly aware that things are going to be alright, I feel blessed and most alive. In this time of giving and receiving, my heart goes out to others who also are waiting for health, comfort from a friend and maybe a phone call delivering their own version of good news. Funny how waiting for your own needs to be fulfilled makes you more aware of the needs of the many others in limbo.

Blessings to you all in the new year to come. May this statement ripple from my heart to yours.