Sometimes God calms the storm. Other times, He sends otters.

I was walking through an aquarium gift store when an adorable picture book caught my eye. It was called "With Your Paw in Mine" by Jane Chapman. What I didn't realize at the time was that this book would end up communicating a much-needed message of love during a tumultuous time in my life.

You see, I've been pretty sick. I started off 2019 in the hospital, and I feel like I haven't had too many healthy days since then. And even if you haven't gone through a prolonged period of illness yourself, I'm sure you can imagine that this season has been an emotional trial as well as a physical one. It's hard to stay positive and interact well with others when all you really want to do is sleep. Or at least it is for me. :) And because of that, it has become really easy for me to get down on myself. Some of my former measurements of success aren't things I can currently do well. It was after a particularly stormy month recently that family members came to visit, and I found myself walking with them through a local aquarium.

And that's when the baby otter book appeared.

"With Your Paw in Mine" chronicles a lot of cute details about the life of a baby otter. (Like did you know mom otters will fluff up their baby's fur to help them stay warm and float better?! So cute!) Then the conflict comes—a massive storm hits while the baby otter is separated from her mom. The baby clings to her best friend, and they reach out and hold on to others. One of the pages pictured above reads:

"The wind blew and the waves crashed, but the raft of otters clung tightly together as the storm raged on."

Spoiler alert—the otters make it through the storm okay! And I found myself flipping back to that illustration of the raft of otters over and over again. I saw, in it, my own story: how the support of family and friends have helped me survive this storm of physical and emotional dis-ease. I am so grateful that I am able to reach out to them when I feel battered by metaphoric waves and wind.

But then another thought crossed my mind. Sometimes in life there aren't a lot of other people there to support us. Sometimes our struggles are hidden ones. As one favorite gospel song describes, sometimes there exists "sorrow that the eye can't see." What then? Are we left to weather the storm alone?

After pondering this for a while, I had a sort of epiphany. I realized that the fellow otters in this book don't only represent friends and family. They could also represent...

• Holding on to the earlier qualities of resilience that you've already developed. You've spent a lifetime facing storms, and you've survived each one! Even if you feel weak now, you can allow yourself to recall and hold on to whatever strength you have previously felt. For example, one thing that has helped me lately is to read the journal entries I wrote back when I was feeling more free and whole. Those words, offered by a version of myself that saw the truth more clearly, are like a lifeline to my current self. 

• Holding on to unseen forces that are helping us each day. I personally believe that our ancestors are able to watch over and help us, and that each of us has Heavenly Parents who are eager to bless us. When I feel like I'm drowning and alone, I can reach for Divine Help and know that heaven reaches back in return. A favorite Bible story describes a man surrounded by enemies whose eyes were opened, so that he could see the countless angels by his side. The words that comforted him also comfort me. "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them" (2 Kings 6:16).

• Holding on to a compassionate part of yourself. Have you ever heard of Kristin Neff? I totally recommend looking up her TEDx talk about self-compassion. It's different than self-esteem or self-care. From her, I learned that when I am in the middle of a storm, I can provide compassion to myself as I would to a dear friend; that it's okay to say within myself, "Wow, Marissa, this is really hard. I'm so sorry you have to face this storm."

I'm sure there are lots of other things that this otter raft can represent. What thoughts do you have?

I think (fingers crossed) my current storm is finally calming down. But I'm sure it won't be the last. And I know each of you are going through unique storms, too. Let's all remember that we are not alone. Let's reach out for help when we need it. Let's cling to family, friends, our Higher Power... and be compassionate to ourselves! With the help of our otter raft—whether that be made of family, friends, Divine Help, earlier truths, or a compassionate self—we will make it through this storm! Don't give up! We will all enjoy peaceful sunshine again someday.

(And, if you need some cheering up, I recommend looking up otter pics. Really, so cute.)