This morning, I received a powerful reminder.

I’ve been shown that one of my spirit guides is the bald eagle—a symbol of perspective, trust, patience, and wisdom. As I sat with that message, another teaching came immediately to mind:

No mud, no lotus.

The lotus does not bloom despite the mud.

It blooms because of the mud.

The mud is not a mistake.

The mud is part of the process.

For much of my life, I wanted to understand why certain things had happened. Why the losses? Why the heartbreaks? Why the detours? Why the painful lessons that seemed to take me so far from where I wanted to be?

But over time, I’ve come to see something different.

The experiences that challenged me most also cultivated the qualities I value most.

Compassion.

Humility.

Resilience.

Wisdom.

Patience.

Faith.

The ability to sit with uncertainty.

The ability to hold space for another person’s pain.

The ability to trust that healing is possible.

Those gifts did not arrive in spite of life’s challenges. They emerged because of them.

Many of us want the lotus without the mud.

We want clarity without confusion.

Growth without discomfort.

Transformation without surrender.

But nature teaches a different lesson.

The lotus grows from the darkness toward the light.

And so do we.

The eagle carries a similar message.

The lotus teaches us to honor where we’ve been.

The eagle teaches us to rise above it.

Not to deny it.

Not to forget it.

Not to become trapped in it.

But to see the larger landscape and recognize that every part of the journey has contributed to who we are becoming.

Recently, I’ve been simplifying my life.

Letting go of the need to have everything figured out.

Trusting my body more.

Trusting my intuition more.

Trusting life more.

I’ve realized that peace doesn’t come from controlling every detail of the future.

Peace comes from taking the next aligned step and allowing the path to unfold.

Perhaps that is the invitation for all of us.

To stop asking whether the mud was necessary.

To recognize that it has already become the flower.

To trust that our struggles are not evidence that something is wrong.

They may be evidence that something beautiful is emerging.

The wound becomes wisdom.

The challenge becomes strength.

The mud becomes the lotus.

And from high above, the eagle reminds us that there is a larger pattern unfolding than we can always see from the ground.

Today, I am choosing gratitude.

Gratitude for the mud.

Gratitude for the lotus.

Gratitude for the eagle.

And gratitude for the journey that continues to unfold, one step, one breath, one day at a time.

What part of your life might be preparing a lotus that you cannot yet see?

About the Author

Sandi Greene is a writer, meditation guide, teacher, and lifelong learner dedicated to helping people create lives of greater clarity, purpose, joy, and well-being through The Art of Living Well.

Her work is inspired by the timeless wisdom of A Course in Miracles, Davidji Meditation, yoga philosophy, and the transformative power of mindfulness, reflection, and authentic community.

Sandi is an Instructor and Ambassador with the University of Utah Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, where she teaches courses that encourage lifelong learning, meaningful connection, and personal growth. She also serves on the Board of Trustees at the First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City, teaches New Member classes, and facilitates small groups that foster belonging and thoughtful conversation.

Whether through her writing, meditation, teaching, or individual conversations, Sandi invites others to reconnect with their inner wisdom and discover that nothing essential is missing.

The Art of Living Well • Meditation • A Course in Miracles • Osher Lifelong Learning • Well-Being