Introducing…Me!

‘Adversity introduces a man to himself’ – this quote from Albert Einstein came to mind over a month ago in a moment where I felt I could not go on.  I’d spent the last year in hospitals dealing with my mother’s illness and her traumatic death due to ovarian cancer. Yes, watching my extremely active mother take her last breath was traumatizing and is etched in my memory forever.

Despite being her caregiver, I was still working and at the same time I launched my own COVID-19 initiative, Vaughan Together, which became a full-time job as the need was so great.  My dream of writing for Hello Canada magazine also came to fruition during this time.  In addition to this workload, I was managing my anger towards my mom’s gynecologist who misdiagnosed her…and neglected her. Could she have been saved?  One week following my mom’s passing my father underwent heart surgery and the day after his hospital release he was rushed to emergency with complications.  It was here that I cracked. ⚡ S Sprawled on my bed, engulfed in total rage and despair, Einstein’s words came to me and knew I was at a crossroads in my life.

I’d seen people paralyzed by their grief and change forever. I was not going to be that person. The love and support from family and friends was vital but what ultimately got me through was my faith in the mystery of God.  Although my human eyes saw injustice in respects to my mom, I knew in my spirit this was her destiny and the pact she made with God before coming to this earth – just as I have a destiny and you have a destiny. Although I didn’t (and still don’t) understand the reason for her fate, in that moment I realized I was being given a choice and in the days following my faith became unwavering. Through adversity and free will, I was introduced to myself – I am strong and my spirit will never be defeated.  For all my friends in despair, it is time you are introduced to yourself! Find your faith, believe in the unexplainable and know there is a bigger plan and reason for everything.