12 - 6 (7/7/25) -- Traumatic Trip

Recent reading and conversations have reminded me of how traumatic events in our lives change our emotional, physical and psychological outlooks. In short -- we are changed -- for better or worse, but likely a combination of the two. Learning to recognize the new 'me' is challenging. Accepting the changes in our new stories of self comes with many questions regarding the change. An oft repeated question for me is "Who am I?" Responses to this are not easy. We understand who we were but not the new expectations for forward motion and reactions to bumps along the way. The new part of our journey takes us through the mud and the weeds -- those wilderness liminal areas we must traverse to get to the new routine. 

Added to the considerable difficulty of the wandering nature of the forced transition is a major sense of uncertainty or discombobulation -- just where am I going? Short answer -- navigating the great unknown to get somewhere new. How's that for ambiguity? <smile> There will be a grand re-combobulation . It will take time -- another aspect of frustration to put onto the wilderness journey. How long will this take? -- another great unknown. <sigh> 

During a conversation about such journeys, a wonderful friend shared a song. The lyrics provide some guideposts for the trip through the unknown. The video is quite relaxing, too. So, on days when I am lying in the mud -- not wallowing, but just briefly resting there -- these words might help me to move on once I've had that important pause to gather my wits about me. Enjoy! 

Bubbles Up -- Jimmy Buffett