I don’t remember adding stress, frustration, and exhaustion to this week’s schedule, but they arrived anyway. We should be accustomed to the unexpected events by now, desensitized to surprises, immune to feeling. But they design roller coasters to elicit intense reactions, and those feelings can’t be suppressed — they must be recognized, felt, and expressed. The biggest attraction at any amusement park runs on big, scary, height-defying, G-Force inducing tracks. You know, the one it is impossible to miss. It draws everyone’s attention from the screams, hoots and hollers, and the laughter. They say you can board, white knuckle the safety bar, and wail in terror, or you can enjoy the ride.
I recognize the feelings and search for ways to express them. Sometimes, I work them out with bouts of cleaning, long walks or deep breathing, and yoga. Some situations demand I sing. It will be out of tune when I confidently belt out words at the top of my lungs, despite having forgotten everything except the chorus. On the days when I feel like crying, I dig deeper, find a fresh perspective, and I laugh.
Have you laughed today?
_________________________________________
Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer