Meditating on April; A Time of Anticipation, Reflection and Healing
- Kenneth Rogers Jr.
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
April marks the beginning of Spring. It’s that time of year when the morning chill forces us to reluctantly return inside to retrieve a jacket before heading out the front door to begin the day, but eventually shed the protective layers of warmth by mid to late afternoon as the temperature rises and the perspiration falls.
In nature leaves begin to bud, flowers begin to bloom, and insects begin to awaken. Spiritually, it’s a time of renewed faith as Easter, Passover, and Ramadan conclude, reminding followers across the globe that there is still hope in peace and brotherhood even when it seems all is lost.
While April is the time of year for anticipation of the joy and beauty that is to come with the approach of summer, it is also a time of year for reflection, meditation, and remembering the difficult journey of reaching this moment in the present.
For many individuals this can seem to be an impossible task, requiring a return to a moment in the past when we may not have been our best selves. Moments when we may have been exploited and abused for our weakness, causing us to feel small and less than human.
It’s these cycles of growth and reflection that will be discussed on Ep. 47 of Shining Light on Shadows: A Candid Conversation About Mental Health, "Looking Back, Moving Forward; The Cycles of Healing After Sexual Assault." The show will be livestreamed Thursday, April 9 at 7pm ET / 6pm CT. I hope you can join. You can watch the live show or recording on Facebook*, Twitter**, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram** or below.
*Facebook will delete the video in 30 days (approx. May 8). **We won't know the exact urls for Twitter or Instagram until we go live Thursday evening.
These may also be moments where we reacted out of anger, saying things we did not mean at the time, but still haunt our current reality, transforming us from the hero of the story to the villain in the blink of an eye.
Although difficult, it’s in this ability to reflect on the past that produces growth. It’s in the moments of silence where we are alone with our thoughts that we gain the wisdom needed to recognize the cycles of rest, growth, struggle, and ensuring we have the mindfulness needed to remain in the present.
April is a time for remembering the past, progressing toward the future, and recognizing the cycles of life as we continue on our journey of healing and growth. It’s for these reasons I believe April is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month. It is a time for all survivors (regardless of age or gender) to not only remember the past with sadness, but look toward the future to hope and joy that each present moment continues to improve.
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