Suffering with Grace

By DaiJhah Owens 

I wanted to write about how screwed our country was. How in the face of this pandemic, our leaders and the systems that govern us failed us on a monumental level. I wanted to express my deepest frustration with humanity during this time. But I won’t. I won’t burden you with the dark political truths this pandemic has exposed. I won’t breakdown for you how every decision made since 2016 has led us to where we are today. I believe that although people may not know details of how things work in DC, they may not have studied political science or international diplomacy, but  they realize something has gone terribly wrong.

So, instead of a civics lesson, I’ve decided to offer some encouragement and lend you some of my strength. Strength I’ve built up over time. Surviving one life’s battle after the next. I am blessed to possess a level of endurance and resiliency that can only be cultivated through true and deep pain, physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. Suffering has been the backbone of my life and grace has been what’s got me through.

One, of many hard experiences, stands out for me during this time. In 2015 I was hit by a car while walking across the street. It shattered my right leg and took surgeons almost 6 hours to mend me back together. I was left without the ability to walk. My journey back to independence was a long one. Learning how to walk again was no small feat. I had to fight and battle just for the one thing everyone takes for granted, walking.

As one can imagine. I took away from this experience a GREAT deal of lessons that I believe can be transferred to any tough circumstance, including a pandemic. First, get you a support system. Without my family and close friends I would not have been able to go on. Second, blast worship music and find small things to be excited about. During that difficult time I looked forward to watching 19 Kids and Counting after dinner (TLC shows are weird). Third and maybe the most important yet hardest, don’t obsess over wanting the pain to end. I know this sounds crazy but please hear me out. Longing for the pain to end really messed up my psyche. I felt I wasn’t learning how to walk quick enough. Life wasn’t returning to “normal” quick enough. This mindset actually stifled my progress. I’ve learned that if you can embrace the fullness of your pain, you can embrace the fullness of your power. Embracing what happened to me, embracing the war that raged on inside of me, the mental turmoil that no one could see but God, brought me where I am today, chillin’ through a Pandemic!

I believe everyone has the potential to brave through suffering, gracefully. It starts with letting go of the idea of “normal”. Everything, including Earth itself, has an expiration date. I eventually learned how to walk again. And this Pandemic will eventually end. Nothing last forever. After everything I’ve been through, I’d be damned if I let this be the thing that takes me out, HELL NAW!

So friends, pause, show yourself grace, embrace the chaos, and breathe. This too shall pass. It always does.

DaiJhah Owens is a Contributing Writer for the Pedestal Project, LLC. DaiJhah is passionate about shifting political power to oppressed groups through education. She believes there is nothing more powerful than an educated black woman who can smell political BS a mile away! Connect with her on Instagram at @d_nakhole!