You touch the bottom of the pond then kick yourself back up to the surface. It’s a game. Down, up. Down, up. Then somewhere in there you learn to swim, to float, to have fun. Sure, the storms will come. Let them. Get out, dry off, find shelter. They will pass as they always do.
See, it’s not about the what but it is about the how. If you stay in the water for the storm, you could drown. Don’t get caught in the fear, doubt and uncertainty. Don’t let that be an option. No. You swim to the shore. You put one foot in front of the other and grab your towel.
The towel is comfort, warmth, compassion. Stay in this towel as long as you need to. When you are dried off and ready to let your towel fall then it is time to get dressed. Find something comfortable, something cozy and warm until you are ready to venture out.
Don’t bother with the “I’m fine, I’m fine’s”. No, call it what it is. “I’m healing, I’m adjusting, I’m working on being OK”.
Day by day you allow yourself to feel what you need to feel. Recognize when you have done well, maybe you didn’t cry yesterday or you went out to get the mail. Nothing is insignificant. Take the wins with the losses.
It takes strength to allow yourself to be vulnerable. Remember the bounce. You will work your way back up to the surface. You will get your breath back. The sun will again shine on your face.
Channeled message from Tom Blankenship. Tom was the childhood friend of Mark Twain. The character, Huckleberry Finn, is based on the life of Tom.