Keep Your Eyes on Our Potential
When I woke up this morning, I didn’t feel particularly inspired by the 4th of July holiday. I felt a heaviness, the weight of “just another day” in this seemingly broken country that is in the midst of skyrocketing COVID-19 infections, political instability and civil strife. How do I celebrate this messiness and pain?
Then I thought of it from a different perspective, one of trauma and healing. And Potential.
Yes, we are still in the middle of a societal trauma that has been costly in human life, economic loss and mental health. Setting politics aside, I think everyone can feel this. For each person, the pain comes from perhaps different aspects of the challenges we are facing, but I think we can all agree a general sense of uncertainty is making our daily lives feel sometimes so unstable, like we are not on solid ground.
I know now that growth comes from messiness and pain and conflict. Nothing changes without it. The path from trauma to “out the other side” is not smooth, but ebbs and flows in waves and large peaks and valleys. It is very painful, but the only way out is “through.”
And beyond this? That is our “Potential.” That is what we can be. A potential to be a people and a country we are proud of. One that has taken great loss and made something from it, given it a purpose.
So if you are struggling with today, join me in celebrating the possible, whatever that means to you.
Have a Red, White & Blue birthday party for what will be. Imagine big, and see how it changes your outlook. It is making mine better.
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Wishing you love, peace and sparks of joy wherever you are on your healing journey. It is my wish with all that I do and all that I write about for you to know that you are not alone.
Warmly,
I, too, felt some weight on me this week (part Covid weariness, part monthly moodiness, part other circumstances), and in the swirl of emotions, potential definitely got lost. I love the idea of having a party for what will be – thanks for the great insight and for your generosity.
I think sometimes it’s so hard to see potential when we’re in the midst of something so hard. We are weighed down by what “is.” Sometimes we don’t see true potential until we’ve already noticed and experienced a couple of smaller positive things. Once we notice those, our eyes are peeled for other possibilities; we are primed.
We will get there, and it’s gonna be a grand party.