It All Makes Us Stronger

I wanted to write about getting through the tough times, and the importance of really feeling your grief and pain to be able to get over it. We live in a society that uses alcohol, drugs and other distractions to avoid the hard feelings -- the ones that can bring you to your knees. I've just come to the end of a long journey that lasted about a year. Each bump in the road wasn't a small bounce -- it was the kind of life stress that did, in fact, bring me to my knees several times. The entire time and through the endless tears, I just wanted it to stop. Yet I've known people who used aforementioned distractions and 10 years later continue to suffer their own demons. While each crying jag was enormously difficult, and I felt just terrible, I didn't avoid it. On the advice of my amazing life coach and some of friends who are therapists, I went with the proverbial flow. I let the tears just pour down my face and rain all over the place. I physically suffered the ravages of the stress. And then one day about a month ago, I woke up and I didn't feel terrible anymore. Yes, I still have and had a few tearful moments, but the extended crying jags slowly subsided. And then the next pleasure ... I really felt happy. And then I felt happy another day and another day. And here I am -- excited and looking forward to so much to come. The pain, the decisions that led to pain, the separations, the crying -- all had to be done. Without feeling our pain, we can't feel our joy either. So my advice to all you souls out there, don't avoid it. What you avoid now will only haunt you later. My journey ahead is full of promise -- and I'm excited to see my what's next.