One day I was walking on the beach and experiencing what seemed to be a nearly perfect day. The weather was comfortably warm, it wasn’t humid, and the sky had a beautiful blue hue.
Then my sister called, and she was panicking. This wasn't surprising under the circumstances: She told me that a building had collapsed in Florida and her childhood friend who lived there was missing. My sister was scared, she was crying, and she asked me what she should do.
I told her to meditate. I said, “Don't go into denial and pretend that nothing happened. Don't meditate as a way of avoiding your feelings. Sit still, take long, deep breaths, and try to think about what you feel. Become aware of your consciousness, and become aware of your feelings.
“Don't get involved in anything other than feeling your feelings. Let them move through you. Work through them. Let them rise and fall, and let them help you determine what to do.”
As difficult as it may be when unpleasant and unexpected circumstances occur, it is very important to meditate properly during such uncertain and troubling times. Doing so will help you retain the focus and composure that you will need to help you deal with such situations.