How’s your summer going? 

It’s my last week of visiting my family in Munich, Germany. It was my first visit back home since February 2020. As I begin to prepare for my return to New York, I’m feeling a lot of different emotions. Excitement to return home to my husband, animals, and work (I can’t wait to hear how my clients have been since we last were in touch). But also sadness, as my father’s dementia is progressing and I don’t know when and if I’ll get to see my Papa again.  

Here we’re out on a walk with my brother: 

Well, the world we live in is complicated. Covid-related travel and government regulations can change. My Papa’s condition is complicated. After 8 strokes and a series of severe health challenges, he’s a bit of a medical phenomenon. He’s also one of my greatest teachers. 

Aldous Huxley wrote: “Experience is not what happens to you, it is what you do with what happens to you.” 

I believe that sh*t happens so that shifts can happen. Life knocks us down. We get up. We move on. We become stronger. Wiser too, hopefully ;-). We build resilience. Learn lessons, overcome challenges, grow personally and professionally. 

This trip has taught me: Time is precious. Life is precious. As my Papa is slipping away more and more into another world, every moment he’s alert and present, smiles at us and laughs with us, is a tremendous gift.  

We can only live one day at a time. Sometimes one hour at a time. One minute at a time. One second at a time. And I’m learning to appreciate this simple truth even more. 

There is not much my brother and I can dowith (or for) our Papa anymore. But what we can do, is to be together, to be in each other’s presence, sometimes roaring with laughter, sometimes silently crying, or just holding hands. And that’s enough. 

I hope that you also find meaning and even joy in life’s challenges – and that this summer, you’re too creating memories that nourish you for years to come. 

About Andrea Deierlein & Thrive Reiki: 

I’m a Reiki professional, who specializes in stress regulation and resilience building, so you can navigate life’s challenges more gracefully and be the powerhouse you’re meant to be. For more information: www.thrivereiki.com