Here's what I mean...

... about finding the hidden gifts. In 2003, I suddenly had a serious problem with my ear. Something was wrong with my ear and it made me so dizzy that I couldn't work for almost a whole year. It was very frightening because it took a long time before the doctors found out what was wrong with my ear. Since I couldn't work, we lost a lot of our clients which was also scary.

And I have to admit, it took me quite a while to discover the hidden gifts in this situation. But slowly slowly I began to find them. First of all and most obvious, it slowed me down! In fact, it made me stop what I was doing completely and reconsider a lot of things about the way I was living. And it made me a lot more humble! Yes, I hate to admit it, but it's true. It was a truly humbling experience to see how life does what it does and that's just your reality. Things happen and you don't always know why or have control and that's the just the way it is. And all of this made me much more compassionate - and understanding of how it must be for other people who are facing difficulties or are handicapped. And there is more... in fact I keep discovering them! (Yes I still have this ear problem.)

And yes, the hidden gifts of this problem have really changed me and my life...