Cope It Up!!

One Sunday when I was about 15 years old my mom pulled me and my sister out of Sunday school to tell us that something had happened to our older sister Paige and that her and her husband were at the hospital. All we knew was that Paige was in a lot of pain and that the situation could either be extremely serious and life threatening or it could be minor and nothing to really worry about.

I immediately imagined that the worst had happened and that Paige was going to die. I couldn’t handle that. I was inconsolable. Paige was my hero. She couldn’t die. It was impossible. What if she did though? What would I do without her? How would I function?

After my parents got all of the kids together they took us into a little classroom and we kneeled down together and each of us went around in order and said a prayer for Paige. I was kneeling next to my dad, unable to say a word because of my tears. I tried, but couldn’t say a prayer out loud so I said one in my heart. I felt that Paige was going to be okay but I still couldn’t believe it until I knew for sure that she was out of danger.

We went home and waited.

It felt like an eternity before John called. He told us that Paige was going to be fine. Paige had a large cyst tangled around one of her ovaries that the doctors were going to have to remove. They didn’t know if she would still be able to have kids or how difficult it would be. The sigh of relief that it wasn’t something more serious was an audible “Thank God.” We knelt together again offered a prayer, but of thanksgiving.

This was the most traumatic day of my life. Tears come to my eyes as I think back on it. I know that without my family and without my Savior that day could have gone so much worse. 

Coping is not just something you do. It is something you prepare for. We know that disaster will strike some time or another and it is your job to put the right tools in place so that your world doesn’t get shattered. My parents had created a family bond previous to this day. As we gathered together we comforted each other. Together we strengthen one another. If something drastic had happened to Paige we would have buoyed each other up and pulled together even tighter. My parents had prepared for this day simply by having a strong relationship with each other and with their kids. They also put their trust in God.

One of the most important coping mechanisms you can have is the knowledge of your Savior and His willingness to help you. He has suffered for your sins and experienced your trials and tribulations before you ever did and He wants to comfort you and help you to keep moving forward. His love is great and His devotion to you is immeasurable. Rely on Him and He will help you.


P.s. Paige is doing great today and she has five beautiful children.