“It won’t always be this way. You won’t always feel like this.” These simple words begin my book about getting through a major loss. But these words were not mine. They were given to me by a dear friend who was in the trenches everyday, counseling men and women who were coping with fear and grief. She told me these were the most reassuring words a fragile heart could hear. And I believe it.
The book’s subtitle is “How to Survive Grief and Start Living Again” and it’s just what I need right now. In the past three months, I’ve had a feeling of great loss: of trust in my government and the faith I was clinging to that things would turn out all right in the end.
My intent when I wrote it was to help people get through those heart wrenching times of losing their loved ones and through the other major losses in life: dreams disappear, health turns sour, relationships change. We lose pets, jobs, our nest eggs, and sometimes even our sanity. Never in my wildest dreams did I think in terms of politics. But here I am facing loss of different kind, and I’m surprised by how much comfort these same words are bringing me now. “It won’t always be this way.” Calm down, Carol.
I’m reluctant to let my politics show, but I’ve spent the last 10 years working hard for a calmer me. I’ve been slowing down, simplifying, overcoming lots of negative thinking, and trying to be more mindful of everything and everybody. But then… the election. What started as a joke in my mind has turned into fear of the evening news. It’s unnerving when everyday there’s a new White House assault on my senses.
Uncertainty Keeps Nerves on Edge
What I’d hoped was just campaign bravado has turned into LaLaLand, but it’s really the unpredictability that’s keeping me on edge. I open the newspaper in the morning with dread, wondering what’s he done now? Who has Trump tromped on now. I’ve lost faith in the government checks and balances that are suppose to moderate impulsive decisions and faith in our leaders to make thoughtful choices. I worry.
More than anything I’ve lost trust, and this makes me saddest of all because trust is important. Up until now, I actually did trust that what happened in Washington would be in the people’s best interest, that down deep lawmakers had my back.
My blog this week quickly veered off into 10 pages of political rant, eight of which are now in the shredder. You’re welcome! Coming full circle, “It won’t always be this way.” Calm down, Carol.
SECRET: Avoid for now the drama of TV news, online headlines, and the conflict of Facebook postings. It’s usually only part of the story.