Reading the recent headlines about those who feel shaken, confused, and fearful because of job layoffs reminds me of a time when my then-fiancé was laid off from his job. Because we were planning to get married in a few months, there were many questions swirling in our heads. In a flash, the progress of our life together seemed to come to a sudden halt, and our plans were in a state of upheaval. 

We were struggling to get our bearings when a friend warmly encouraged us, “Instead of worrying about what’s going to change, think instead about what’s not going to change.” This oriented our thoughts in a new and helpful direction. 

We wrote down the fundamental facts of our being that would never change. We each committed to praying with these spiritual facts by letting them fill consciousness, negating panic or waves of fear. And we broadened our prayers to include my fiancé’s colleagues, who also felt unsettled and believed their world was being turned upside down. Here is a shortened version of our list: