Juggling Thoughts
After a passionate lifetime of caregiving and carefronting those who are in their deepest darkest hours, I have come to the professional and personal opinion that there are no easy ways to unravel or understand the whirlwind of thoughts that capture and circulate in our heads. Grieving is a separation of things/people that we love or things/people that we are committed to. The key to understanding any part of grief is separation. Separation comes in a multitude of circumstances; life loss, pet loss, divorce, relationships that are ended, loss of income, sickness, injuries that could be physical, spiritual, or emotional, loss of property, failed classes, failed jobs, and the list goes on and on. Then we have to try to navigate our day in the midst of all of these intrusive thoughts. This is Mental Health Awareness Month and we are giving a place in our calendar year to recognize and assist in the difficult journey of survival in the midst of storms. Here is what I know about storms. We are either going into one, in one, or coming out of one constantly. These are storms that we face minute by minute, day by day, month by month and year by year. The problem that we have when we come out of a storm is the wobbly sea legs that I have in trying to continue to move forward. It’s during those wobbly sea legs that we are most vulnerable. Then we go into the next storm more injured mentally, physically, and emotionally. The most difficult task we have is to manage our thoughts in this battle of survival. We make 35,000 choices a day and when I am most vulnerable, I am at most risk of self-destructive thoughts. My dad taught me that the hardest 18 inches in life are from our head to our heart. Once the pain gets into our hearts, then our actions will follow. Guard your heart with the things that will protect you in your juggling. Hold on tightly to the things that give you purpose and hope for today and tomorrow. You are not alone in your battles. Reach out with every bit of strength you have and hold someone’s hand. You are loved and appreciated.
