I’m excited that I’m writing again; happy that I am feeling more like myself. In April, my husband and I lost a very sweet, dear friend. It was sudden. It was from an aneurysm.
The lost stopped me in my tracks because it was not at all expected. Mourning kicked in and I couldn’t seem to get my mind to focus on much else.
The month of April was spent in a daze and I found myself going through the necessary motions to get me through the day. My husband sent me an email saying it felt like I had been away.
I knew exactly what he meant. I had been praying and crying all month and no matter how much I tried to talk myself into feeling better, nothing seemed to lift my spirits.
Oddly, it was a trip to Target that helped me really put what I was experiencing into
perspective. I was rushing through the store to get a few items. But being the book lover that I am, I had to stop by the book aisle to check out new releases.
There was lots of Mother’s day stuff; some new fiction. Then, the big blue and orange multicolored hardback caught my eye–Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss. I chuckled. A quick flashback to my sister from three years ago came to mind.
She told me that the book had been a part of her rehab. I had been meaning to read the book to see how it fit into a rehab program but never had. So, there it was and I picked it up.
If you haven’t read this book at all or in a while, read it for yourself. It’s not just for kids. It’s a quick, fun-rhyming read of the high and low places that life will lead us.
And standing right there in Target when I finished the book, I smiled a big happy smile. I knew I was feeling better and that I would be able to write this week.
Thanks to my sister and to Dr. Seuss for helping me remember that loss is a part of life’s journey.
There’s no escaping this mix of ups and downs, and we are the ones who can steer ourselves into any direction we choose–even the direction that gets us back on track after facing a loss.
