by Suzanne Anderssen, Brisbane

I like to use metaphors to describe where I am at each moment. A year ago, I felt like I was walking a tightrope. The tightrope was very saggy, very swingy and each step along that tightrope was difficult, but I was at least travelling forward. Bit by bit, that tightrope became tauter, stronger, more still, albeit I still felt like I was walking it.

The metaphor I feel like today is similar, but maybe less life threatening! Life often feels like I’m at a surf beach, diving through waves. Have you ever noticed that waves tend to come in sets of about six or seven?  Then there is a bit of a rest, where you can catch your breath and prepare for the next set. Sometimes that next set is an onslaught, where each dive under the wave is an effort, you get messed around in the froth, the sand; you barely have enough time to take another breath before you need to dive under the next wave, you may not even get to push off and dive under the wave, just duck under so you don’t get dumped. You’re exhausted by that set and nervous about the next, as surely it will come too soon.

And sometimes it’s a set of waves that you navigate with ease and harmony. Your timing in diving under the wave is perfect, you feel the swell of the wave above and around you, but you don’t get caught up in the swirl of the water. You have time to wipe your eyes, keep your hair off your face, take a look at where the next wave is coming from, take a deep breath and push off the sand with your two feet to dive deeply under with a strong body…and your swimsuit stays on too 🙂

For me, life can be like the surf. Those seven or so waves in a set represent my job, my husband, myself, my child, my child’s school life, my friends, my house.

Whenever I am on the verge of being dumped by the waves, I notice that I make a special effort to use a bunch of support mechanisms that I have learnt over my lifetime, with many learned in the past two years since listening to Serge Benhayon’s presentations. I have learned that what I can do to support myself is to breathe gently, or take a warm, moisturising bath, or make a super nurturing, light meal, or light some incense, or put on super comfy clothes, or take plenty of time to blow dry my hair, apply makeup, moisturise, paint my nails, or go for a long, easy walk or swim, or visit a friend, or do a meditation, or brew some herbal tea in a pretty teapot, or fold laundry (very soothing for me!), or tenderly moisturise my hands and feet… etc.

When I don’t feel amazing, I then consciously go back to basics, stopping to nurture myself fully and come back to a level of stillness that is me. I feel so grateful that I have people around me who have shown me many different ways that I can truly support myself.