Another Phoenix Reborn

A couple of days ago I wrote this grateful comment:

I’m grateful for the ability to not only empathize and feel compassion with someone else’s pain, but to feel immense joy because I know the beginning of a transformation is taking place. Like sore muscles when one first starts working out, I know that the benefits from working through our struggles will only bring strength and self confidence that we never could have imagined.

The next day I watched the following video and knew I had to share it with my Fledglings.

As I was working on building the link section of Together We Can Heal, I meandered onto Glennon Doyle Melton’s blog. First the Pain, Then the Rising was a video blog I felt drawn to watch. The video resonated deeply with me. I instantly thought of my friend who’s been going through some hard times. I thought about my own resurrection, my own rebirth. I thought about the symbolism of my name.

You see, not only is the phoenix a bird, which represents my favorite animal, one that can gracefully break free from the chains that bind the rest of the animal kingdom to earth, but the phoenix also represents the journey I have endured as I battled addiction, recovery, and fought for my marriage.

A phoenix is well known to live several hundred years and when it’s time to die, the phoenix builds a nest of aromatic branches and spices. With a single clap of its wings, it ignites the nest and is consumed by the flames. After death, the phoenix gloriously rises from the ashes and flies away.

Glennon’s video was yet another way of explaining the journey of rebirth I have and still continue to go through.

“There is no story without first going through your story.”

“There is no resurrection, without first a crucifixion.”

“First the Pain, Then the Rising”

-Glennon Doyle Melton

Continue to work through your pain my Fledglings, so that Together we can Rise from the Ashes and Soar With the Eagles.

So that Together We Can Heal!

Something to Believe In

-Poison