This title could be a mantra, a reminder of what you want or need in your life. It could be a speech given by a coach or a mentor that inspires you to push through the tough times or the grief. It could be something that you say to yourself over and over to help remind yourself of the great things to come. It is a short story, and the above is only a small clip of the total short story. Learn more about the author Peter Chyikowski.
I found out about 2 months ago, that another friend of mine lost his battle with mental illness. It reminds me that the struggle is real on a daily basis. My best friend from high school talked to him the morning of his death. Shared what he could, tried to encourage him, but it was not enough to overcome the demons. Since then, that same best friend from high school past away and about 3 weeks later we lost another schoolmate. Both are pictured at a reunion a few years ago.
We all have our own unique struggles. Just because your struggle is not a matter of life or death does not make it less important. It is the reality that you are living in right now. When we take on the mindset that, “When you survive this…” we will have a stronger chance of getting through whatever we may be dealing with. It could be a job loss, a relationship that did not turn out the way we wanted, or even a test in school that we failed. We all have a story to tell. Stories of how we survived this or that. Some are more dramatic than others but what a great story to tell. This is how I survived that! What are you struggling with right now? Can you tell yourself, “When you get through this?” You will have a great story or strength to tell and maybe it will help someone else survive this.
Though we have all these things that happen around us we can find a way to work with and through the feelings of hurt and sadness. This is not the time to give up or quit fighting. This is a time to grab hold of our friends and family to let them know that we love them and we need them, and they need you too.
Today, I will remember the phrase, “When you survive this,” so I can look to the future and see the strength that I will have as a result. I will see the person I will become and know that I will be able to share with others how I survived.
Excerpt from The Red Chair Experience by Chris Michel