By Denice Wallace

The Law of Rhythm teaches us that when you're feeling low, it's not the end—it's just part of the natural cycle. Be grateful and take heart, because by law, there is an upswing coming. That means every time we find ourselves down, we can be certain that an "up" will follow. Life moves in rhythms and patterns—like waves, or like a storm that eventually clears to calm skies. I've noticed that during the harder, stormy seasons of life, I’m able to get through them with more strength when I remind myself the calm is coming.

One clear example was when I was in Nursing School. I was divorced and raising my child on my own. I knew school would be incredibly tough—not only did I need to make it through academically, but I also had to support and care for my child every day. But knowing how long the program would take gave me something powerful: an end date. A finish line. That alone made the struggle more bearable. I was able to pace myself through it and keep going.

When I graduated, I quickly secured a job and life leveled out. There was room to breathe again. That’s the rhythm at work. Of course, I knew more challenges would come, but that space between allowed for rest and recovery.
And while we don’t always get to know the exact end date for every trial, the Law of Rhythm guarantees that one is coming. That knowledge alone can shift how we face a hard season—we stop bracing, and start trusting that an upswing is on its way.

Another big example was when my husband was deployed to Iraq. He left when I was three months pregnant, and he would be gone for 18 months. At that time, I had a 10-year-old son, was working on the cardiac floor as an RN, and suddenly was navigating a complicated pregnancy on my own.

Soon after he left, complications forced me to take a leave of absence from work. I was in and out of bed rest, worried for my husband’s safety and uncertain about how things would unfold. It could have easily become a miserable, overwhelming season. But I reminded myself: the pregnancy would last six more months, and my husband would return in 18. Even if I didn’t know every detail of how it would work out, I could at least hold onto that rhythm.

Instead of letting worry take over, we chose to make the best of it. We set up Skype calls and even Skyped Christmas morning so he could be with us, in a way, as we opened presents. I knew I couldn’t dwell on what my husband might be experiencing overseas—I needed to stay grounded for my son, and for the baby I was carrying.

After our daughter was born, my sister moved in to help, which was a huge gift. I was able to return to work part-time, and we settled into a rhythm that helped the time pass with more ease. When my husband finally came home, it was such a joyful reunion—though that ushered in a new wave of challenges, too, as we navigated re-entry, civilian life, and introducing him to a one-year-old daughter he had never met in person.

By law, there is always an upswing. We may not always get to circle a date on the calendar, but we can know it’s coming. And that knowing can carry us through.

That knowledge has helped me through so many storms. The faster I’m able to shift into gratitude and choose a more hopeful perspective, the faster I seem to move through hard seasons—and I come out of them lighter, stronger, and yes, even happier.
Because by law… there is always an upswing.

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