Do you ever have down days? I think we all do. Some of us own them, some don't. Some push through to the other side. Some stuff their feelings only to have them come out sideways. Sometimes we can nudge the feelings aside by counting blessings. Because, true story, we always have blessings to count.
However, life is hard, we have days that just weigh heavier. Days our losses feel especially tender. Days that feel like the sun just won't shine.
It takes me back to when I was struggling and began taking anti-depressants. My first marriage was falling apart. I was numb. I felt like my smile wasn't getting to my eyes anymore. It was time to get help. I went round and round with a sibling who maintained that periods of depression are a fact of life, and you just deal with it. Wallow in the pain long enough, and eventually it would go away. It still sounds like a miserable experience to me. Life is hard enough, why deny the help that is available?
Now I know, asking for help and accepting it is humbling. Owning it exposes our soft belly, so to speak. We want to maintain appearances. That we have it "all" together. Does anyone, really?? We want to be strong and independent. Strong can be a defense mechanism and independent can be isolating. Strong is exhausting, and frankly, no one who is strong really had any other option.
So, when the road is rough, take stock of your surroundings. Check and see what you're feeling. Own the hard stuff. Accept the help that is available. Let someone know how you're doing, the weight you are holding. Remember that every storm runs out of rain. Thank you, Maya Angelo, for this wisdom. Count some blessings, feel the feelings, release them. Healing awaits.
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