2024 has been tough on my family. For all the hard we have walked through in my lifetime, this year has been kind of relentless and is definitely at the top of the “I’d like to return this for a full refund” list of years.
Every month or two we seem to be hit by another challenge. And these have not been small challenges. These have been big losses and ground shaking events; I cry each time I think about them kinds of losses.
But, I have been so fortunate, too, to have had resources, internal and external, to help me through. I have been moved by the kindness of the amazing people in my community. I have been comforted by the rites and rituals that have allowed us to give form to our grief and to grieve together. I am grateful for the practices I have developed that allow me to step back, make room for my emotions, and take perspective on my thoughts.
And I am deeply thankful that I have people in my life who can have deep, authentic, honest conversation. Not just about what is good and where we align, but about what is hard, and where we differ. We can go to painful places and come out in tact, more whole than when we started.
In a recent conversation with a loved one, he reflected on how he is navigating his grief. He shared the image of the ball in the bottle depicted here. For me, this image is the embodiment of Post Traumatic Growth. The trauma may never become smaller, but we can become bigger. There is incredible power in that.
But we need to be able to heal in order to access this kind of growth. We need the kinds of things I have been fortunate enough to lean on this year - community, rituals, and glimmers of hope. With these supports, growth in the face of trauma and loss is truly possible. Empowerment in the midst of chaos is real.
I wish that everyone could experience this kind of healing, this incredible gift. Somewhere, I believe that, with the right kinds of supports and resources, we all can. But I realize that many don’t have the resources I do, they don’t have the same opportunities and are more vulnerable, more alone.
I wish I could change that, to fix it, to rescue us all. I know I cannot. And I am tired. Tired from a tough year, tired of seeing so much pain. So I will work to accept what is and commit to doing what I can. I will create and contribute to my community in all the ways I know how and I will continue on my own healing path so that I bring the best version of me to all I do.
I will hold space for the pain and the sad and the hard. And I will make room for healing, I will look for glimmers, and I will nurture the hope in my heart. Through these small acts, I claim my power to grow with the losses and write the ending of the story that I want to read.
We may not be able to control what is, but we sure as shit get to have a say in how we deal with it. I choose to celebrate that!
Every month or two we seem to be hit by another challenge. And these have not been small challenges. These have been big losses and ground shaking events; I cry each time I think about them kinds of losses.
But, I have been so fortunate, too, to have had resources, internal and external, to help me through. I have been moved by the kindness of the amazing people in my community. I have been comforted by the rites and rituals that have allowed us to give form to our grief and to grieve together. I am grateful for the practices I have developed that allow me to step back, make room for my emotions, and take perspective on my thoughts.
And I am deeply thankful that I have people in my life who can have deep, authentic, honest conversation. Not just about what is good and where we align, but about what is hard, and where we differ. We can go to painful places and come out in tact, more whole than when we started.
In a recent conversation with a loved one, he reflected on how he is navigating his grief. He shared the image of the ball in the bottle depicted here. For me, this image is the embodiment of Post Traumatic Growth. The trauma may never become smaller, but we can become bigger. There is incredible power in that.
But we need to be able to heal in order to access this kind of growth. We need the kinds of things I have been fortunate enough to lean on this year - community, rituals, and glimmers of hope. With these supports, growth in the face of trauma and loss is truly possible. Empowerment in the midst of chaos is real.
I wish that everyone could experience this kind of healing, this incredible gift. Somewhere, I believe that, with the right kinds of supports and resources, we all can. But I realize that many don’t have the resources I do, they don’t have the same opportunities and are more vulnerable, more alone.
I wish I could change that, to fix it, to rescue us all. I know I cannot. And I am tired. Tired from a tough year, tired of seeing so much pain. So I will work to accept what is and commit to doing what I can. I will create and contribute to my community in all the ways I know how and I will continue on my own healing path so that I bring the best version of me to all I do.
I will hold space for the pain and the sad and the hard. And I will make room for healing, I will look for glimmers, and I will nurture the hope in my heart. Through these small acts, I claim my power to grow with the losses and write the ending of the story that I want to read.
We may not be able to control what is, but we sure as shit get to have a say in how we deal with it. I choose to celebrate that!
-Fredy
Interested in more of our blogs? Check out our articles on each of these subjects below:
4 RIVERS OF TRANSFORMATION
0 Comments