Trees Teach
October 19, 2020
Words of Comfort and Joy!
October 30, 2020
By Sister Karen Zielinski, OSF
I sit alone in my easy chair with my feet up, my glass of iced tea next to me with a good book from the public library. I should be relaxed, but in the pit of my stomach I am uneasy about something and I do not remember what is bugging me. Now I remember. I have financial challenges, and health issues. My friends have family problems and the weather has been wet and gray for weeks. I wish I could stop worrying about whatever is knotting up inside my heart. I don’t want to rest and take time off work. I feel so agitated and helpless. What if things keep getting worse? I do not want to talk to my friends or family. They will worry that I am worried about them.
I take a deep breath, calm myself down a bit and ask my Creator to be present to me during these challenging times. I ask for the gift of peace in my heart. I focus on calming myself down.
I reach for my iced tea, utter a prayer of thanks, and start to read.
What we think will happen usually never does.
Sister Karen Zielinski
Health and Spirituality
Karen J. Zielinski, OSF, is a Sylvania Franciscan who has lived with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) since 1975. She writes, speaks and consults regularly on issues relating to spirituality and health. Her recent book, Hope and Help for Living with Illness (Franciscan Media) discusses chronic disease and coping strategies and is addressed to both caregivers and patients. Karen also writes a blog on spirituality and wellness--Soul Sister-- for the National MS Society website.
