There are certain years in life that feel unbearably heavy — where challenges seem to pile up, and every day feels like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Such times leave scars, yes, but also carve lessons so deep that they never quite leave you.
I had one such year, a few years ago. A major surgery forced me into stillness. Suddenly, I had time — time I never asked for, but desperately needed. As I lay recovering, thoughts began layering themselves in my mind, one after another. Some were sharp realisations. Others were whispers that grew louder with every passing day.
Here are the ones that stayed with me:
Realisation #1 - The Body Always Warns Us.
Every ailment starts with small signs — a sneeze, a headache, unexplained fatigue. For women, it often intertwines with stress, cycles, and silent pressures that compound over time. As a single mother and entrepreneur, I brushed them aside until my body gave up on me. And then, it demanded to be heard. The truth is simple: if you don’t listen to your body, one day it will make you listen.
Realisation #2 - Pain Redefines Priorities.
When the body is in pain, nothing else matters. To-do lists, deadlines, plans — they all dissolve. All you crave is relief. Pain, in any form, has the power to humble us, to strip away illusions, and to remind us of the most basic desire: to simply be okay again.
Realisation #3 - True Friends Are Rare.
In crisis, less than 5% of the people you know will actually stand by you. Those who do, they’re not just friends — they’re your life companions. The rest? They’re characters passing through your story. I came across a line that captures this beautifully: “Give it and see, leave it and see. If it comes back, it’s yours. If not, it never was.”
Realisation #4 - Actions Speak Louder Than Words.
Not everyone who says they care, truly does. Real concern doesn’t always look like grand gestures; sometimes it’s a small, quiet presence that proves more powerful than words. Life’s hardest moments reveal the gap between intention and action.
Realisation #5 - The World Moves On.
This one stings the most. No matter your suffering, life outside doesn’t pause. People continue with their routines, and the world spins at its own pace. The sooner we accept this truth, the lighter our hearts become. Acceptance doesn’t make pain vanish, but it does make it easier to carry.
That year left its marks, but also its gifts. Today, I carry these lessons not as scars, but as reminders.
If there’s one thing I’d leave you with, it’s this:
Listen to your body, cherish the rare few who truly stand by you, and remember — pain is temporary, but the wisdom it brings can shape you for a lifetime.
