Finding Happiness in Turmoil

One of my dearest friendships is crumbling, approaching dangerously close to irreconcilable at near-breakneck speed. This is terribly devastating to me. But every cloud has a silver lining, right? For every bad there is a good, etc, etc.

The fear of losing this friendship sent me into a tailspin of depression and motivation, almost at the same time. Depression came first and I spent many days and nights crying and feeling sorry for myself. Then, motivation kicked in. I decided that I didn't want to mope around forever and I had things I needed to take care of. So I made some personal changes to my attitude and outlook, and I reached out to others for help (something I'm not always good at doing). I used the wonderful world of Facebook to search for positivity, inspiration, and Moments of AHA. And I found all of them. I found them on pages of positive thinking, and thanks to those pages, I found them in individual people. I have become Facebook friends with a number of people who I never would have had a connection with, if I hadn't been looking for other positive influences.

And thanks to one of those "random" connections, I have found an incredible opportunity to take advantage of. I say "random" (in quotes) because I'm not quite sure that these connections really are random. I believe that I have connected with some of these people at this particular time because they have something to offer me that I need, and perhaps I have something to offer them. I went searching for guidance and help and I found it in people who don't even know me. Of course, that's not to diminish the efforts and effects of my dear beloved friends, because I'd be lying in the fetal position sucking my thumb if it hadn't been for some of them!

Thanks to a newly found friend, I am heading to Troy, NY this weekend to meet and learn from spiritual leader and happiness coach, Nithya Shanti. I am going by myself. This is not something I do very often. I find strength and confidence by surrounding myself with familiar people. I don't like being in most situations alone. But I am really excited to meet my new friend, Lisa, in person and to hear Nithya Shanti and hopefully learn some of his teachings. I "randomly" connected with Lisa on Monday. Makes you wonder, doesn't it....

So, is gaining some new friendships via Facebook worth losing a dear friend of 10+ years? I'm not sure. I miss the solid friendship that we had, but if it hadn't been for the turmoil we're going through, I never would have reached out to others. Everything happens for a reason. I hope that with time, and effort from both of us, my friend and I will be able to find a shred of the relationship we once had, and hopefully even make it better. I also hope that some of the new connections I've made will have a lasting impact on my life, and help me better define what my purpose is on this Earth. While the circumstances with my friend suck, I do not regret being given an opportunity to better myself and learn from other positive people.

There is always a Moment of AHA.