Life Lessons From Cataract Surgery

Distorted view

Life Lessons From Cataract Surgery

Earlier this week, I had cataract surgery to remove a blurry cataract and replace it with a new lens that has greatly improved my vision.

Typically, if there are cataracts in both eyes, they do one eye at a time with a week or so in between the procedures.

I am in between surgeries this week and have one eye with a new lens and one eye with a blurry cataract. 

The experience has been very “eye-opening”!  (pun intended) 

What a difference!!

When I put my hand over my eye with the blurry cataract and look through my new lens, everything is perfectly in focus, and bright. The whites are amazingly white!

When I put my hand over the repaired eye and look out of the eye with the bad cataract, things are a little fuzzy, a little dirty, dull and dingy looking. 

I am so astonished that I’ve been playing this game of covering my eyes over and over. It is hard to believe believe the difference! I didn’t know how poor and distorted my vision had become.  Surgery gave me new clarity that I didn’t even know I had lost.

Other Distortions

Through this experience I’ve realized that I often have unclear and distorted views in other areas of my life. For example, when my family members left their LDS faith and I decided that I still wanted to remain a faithful member of the church, I started “seeing” differently. 

Some things were a clear improvement, like learning to really love others even when they believe in the gospel differently than I do.

At the same time, other things were not an improvement and even became distorted.
Things related to the church like: 

  • Where do I fit in the church community now that my husband doesn’t attend?
  • How do I participate at church in a way that works for me and my family? 
  • What does home centered worship mean when I am the only member at home? 

Do Any Of These Questions Sound Familiar To You?

Unfortunately, not everything I tried to address these questions was helpful for me, my faith or my family. 

The unbelievable thing was that, because of the hurt and pain I experienced during that time of my life, I couldn’t see the distortions.  Like failing cataracts, these experiences discolored everything.

One of the things that helped me replace my distorted “thinking cataracts” with clearer thoughts was the process of learning to talk with God and get clear answers to my prayers.  I started to recognize the thoughts and feelings that were helping me and the ones that were hurting me. Combining “thought work & revelation” helped my vision to clear up – a LOT.  Revelation and Prayer Journaling is another practice that has helped me.

Let Me Help You Clear Up Your Distortions

If you are or have experienced these types of thought distortions due to members of your family leaving the LDS faith, or other life events, I can help you clear up some of the distortions and regain clarity.

Limited Time Offer

With the end of summer and the start of a new school year, September is often a time for new beginnings and routines, so I am offering an “End of Summer Clarity” coaching special to help you see some of your critical life experiences more clearly.

For the next 2 weeks I am offering a limited number of 3 session coaching packages for $375 only $249. For those of you who are NOT struggling with fitting into your faith community, take advantage of this great sale to talk about what YOU are struggling with. 

Why wait?  Sign up today and start seeing some distorted thoughts with new clarity.

I would love to help you clear up some thought distortions that may have crept into your life. 

Fall Bulbs = Spring Miracles

Spring Flowers

Last Fall I had a flower vision

Over several days last October I planted about 150 bulbs.  A combination of daffodils, tulips, iris and grape hyacinths.  I got wet, tired and sore – and in the end I needed a little of Lee’s help planting the last batch.  I just didn’t have the energy to finish the job of planting the all bulbs, and it was harder than I thought it would be.  But I did it anyway, because as soon as I saw the yellow daffodils and pink and purple tulips in the store, I had a vision of them blooming in our yard in the spring.  In my mind’s eye I could see them blooming beautifully. 

No One Could Have Guessed

I am so grateful for that vision because last October I could never have imagined what March and April would be like this year. No one could have guessed we would be sheltering in place because of a global pandemic.

Those beautiful flowers have been a source of beauty, joy and hope every day since they started blooming. I put tulips are in pots and beds in the back yard and planted daffodils all over the front yard.  They have cheered me up and they bring a smile to everyone who walks by our house.  I’ve brought them inside and filled vases for weeks, we’ve dissected them for homeschool lessons, and I even received a text from our neighbor across the street thanking me for the beautiful flowers she sees each day from her window.   I am at home almost all the time and the array of flowers has been a primary source for seeing the beauty around me this spring. 

Our Lives Need Vision Too

Our lives are a lot like the bulbs I planted last fall, we want something different in our life, we even have a vision of how we want things to look, but it’s not always easy or convenient to make the necessary changes to get what we want. It usually takes hard work, determination, patience and grit to make changes stick, and sometimes we even need help. 

Many of us desire to have something we envision for our future.  We can see in our minds the things we want to happen for us (could be new habits, weight loss or more money) then we try to build our lives to create that vision.  One of the things that makes change hard is that the results are not immediately visible.  Change takes time.

Let me help

I coach Latter-day Saint empty-nest women who find themselves stuck without a clear vision about who they are or where they want to go next.  The kids have left home, and they are searching for new purpose and meaning. 

If you have a glimpse of who you can be, or are just stuck without any ideas, I offer my help.  My effective “Finding faith, family and yourself in the empty-nest season of life” program is only $99.  This program completely focuses on helping you see who you are right now, identifying what you want in your life, and how to achieve those desires.

At this price it’s almost a no-brainer to get 1:1 coaching, a workbook and a follow-up session to help you re-discover yourself.  Click or press BEGIN to get started creating that beautiful vision you desire – and the plan to make it happen. 

What’s holding you back?