Remember to Breathe

I have about half a dozen drafts prepared, all with various messages that I think should be heard, read and paid attention to.  And today, it just doesn't feel right to post any of them .  .  .

Lately, I've shared my story with several new friends, many of them have been on a parallel path in the world of mental health.  

I'm thankful for these people.  I'm thankful that we are united through our struggles and frustrations.  And, I'm thankful that we can continue to support each other as we work through our various set of circumstances.

Whereas it is easy to focus on all that has gone wrong, we must remember that there is a lot that has also, gone right.  

We need to take stock of the unexpected blessings that have come our way through an unconventional path.

We need to give ourselves grace as we move forward and transcend through our own personal tragedy.   

We need to understand how our tragedies have changed who we are as individuals.  

We need to hold those we love and thank those who have provided support.

We need to channel our anger and use it for good.  

We need to share, listen and learn.

We need to pray, pray and then pray some more.

And then, we need to breathe .  .  . deeply .  .  .  very, very deeply.