Processing

There are times when life seems to be a big whirlpool – emotions, situations, people, and opportunities swirling around at the speed of light. It is enough to make a person dizzy.

The last few weeks have been a suspension of normal. There have been appointments and conversations, laughter, tears, anticipation, good news, bad news, visits, fun, trips, bad weather, smooth sailing, dark skies and everything in between. From finding out about a dear friend’s suicide that I cannot even begin to process, to seeing other wonderful friends, to going on trips, to planning the future, to finding out who an ex truly was, it has been sensory overload.

What to do when life gets a but too…confounding? I am not entirely sure, but what seems to work for me is to take a step back and breath. Take a few moments to process and digest all the information I have been given.

When we take time to process the world in front of us, we also take the time to listen to ourselves, our guts, so to speak. We take time to listen also to God’s voice. we gain perspective and valuation of our emotions, so that when we do act, or voice, or smile or cry or yell or dance, we will do it from our most authentic spaces. We also allow ourselves to feel and thus work through any disheartening events.

And so I take some steps, and a deep breath. I find a way to say goodbye to my dear friend. I celebrate great news of others. I celebrate my own good fortune. And thank God I dodged a huge bullet that would have left a hole in my heart.

Life is short. Take the time you need to process so that you can also take the time to enjoy the rest of life as it comes.