Showing Up in the Storm

Weekly wisdom to level up your creative life in 3 minutes, for free.

A SHORT STORY

Two weekends ago, Anastasiia and I took a quick 48-hour trip to London.

We went to see one of my closest friends, Patrick, in Hadestown on the West End as they prepared to film with the original Broadway cast—but life had other plans.

Just days before, Patrick ruptured his Achilles tendon and was out of the show. But we decided to go anyway.

I felt the need to be with Anastasiia, Patrick, and his wife, Paige, despite the chaos we were each experiencing.

It reminded me of a lesson I’ve heard so many times from the monks I’ve worked with: It’s not about stilling your mind in the temple; it’s about stilling your mind amidst the storm.

Through my dad’s passing, I’m learning that faith isn’t a journey beyond doubt—it’s a journey into it, into the wilderness.

A path where there’s no place to hide, no place to run.

As Anastasiia and I walked the streets of London, I kept reflecting on this idea.

As for Patrick, they found a way to work his injury into the show, and he was still able to be a part of the film.

As we all know, life rarely unfolds as planned. But perhaps the lesson I’m learning in the midst of all of this is that the plan was never about control. It’s about presence. It’s about showing up. About choosing to stand in the storm and still find your footing.

In the same way, when difficult thoughts arise in meditation, the challenge is not to push them away, but to be with them. To sit with discomfort without turning from it. To let the experience shape you, rather than resist it.

As I sit with my death of my dad, these are the thoughts I keep holding in my heart as I embrace this sacred space, one step at a time.

How are you showing up in the middle of your own storm today?

A POEM

“The Uses of Sorrow” by Mary Oliver

(In my sleep I dreamed this poem)

Someone I loved once gave me
a box full of darkness.

It took me years to understand
that this, too, was a gift.

Grateful,

Michael