What Antenatal Taught Me

So, I can't pretend that I enjoyed my month long stay in hospital or any part of the 9 weeks total bed rest I was "prescribed." But I can say one thing for sure and that's that it sure did open my eyes. I met tons of nice people, from the nurses and staff to the other patients and their family/friends. I saw couples going through situations easily more stressful than that of our own and watched women brave heart breaking scenarios solo. I was reminded of something I'd already, always known and that's the fact that "someone always has it harder than you" and "everyone has a story." Believe me - they do! And sometimes it really humbles you to hear them. 

80% of the women in my antenatal ward were confined to bed rest or limited activity. So we often congregated in the kitchenette or hallway to chat, gossip (as I came to realize women just about everywhere do), share pieces of our lives and most of all - exchange updates on our situations. We also had weekly "meet ups" and "group gatherings" run by the staff to encourage women to get out of their beds, meet people, socialize, etc. in hopes of eliminating negative mind sets and sustaining good mental health for the patients. I was not a fan or remotely interested in any of this my first week or so admitted but I'm sure glad I branched out eventually. It was always positive knowing that you weren't alone and I took in one of the most fulfilling of lessons, I will never, for the rest of my life forget.

Maybe life isn't about avoiding the bruises.

Maybe it's about collecting the scars to prove we showed up for it.

Seriously though! Let that sink in. There is so much in life we cannot control, we have no say over, we can't prevent. And no matter how hard we try, wish, want, or pray for otherwise - sometimes you just have to get "bruised." But what if we could look at it from another perspective? That we don't have to kill ourselves avoiding these life bruises, but instead take life however it may come and consider the "scars" as nothing more and definitely nothing less than just that - proof - that we showed up, we tried our best, we lived. Life is all about perspective. The same way looking at your situation and reevaluating it once you have a worse one to compare it to is perspective. It's all in the way you choose to see things. Cliche? No doubt but so, so very true. A lesson we occasionally need reminding of and I've had my "moment" that won't ever allow me to forget it again.

So whatever it is you're going through, do just that. Go through it. GROW through it. And embrace the scars you acquire as souvenirs of your journey.

Photography Credit: Luke Gram, the amazing Canadian photographer behind "Man & Camera". For breath taking inspiration, his instagram is a worthy use of scrolling time.

XO, V.