I’m going to be 💯

I used to respond to troubling or grievous situations by convincing myself to be happy. After all, my troubles, trials and losses are much less than other people’s. However, that’s just not how life works. Diminishing and denying your sorrows doesn’t make them any less tangible or their impacts on you less acute.

COVID-19 has displaced much hope and potential memories for a litany of life’s major milestones. For you it may have been birthdays, weddings, reunions, promotions or even just the day-to-day opportunities to gather with those you care about. Poignant to me, it’s graduation season and I’ve (still) been grieving the loss of my own graduation celebration after getting a terminal degree. I wonder what the ceremony would have felt like, the recoginition and hooding, the rejoicing with family, cheering with friends and the celebratory trip and vacation.

I can’t get that particular moment in time back and yes I know it’s not the biggest issue in the world but hey… I know I’m not the only one struggling with this type of grief and I refuse to shame myself into pretending to be totally ok. #honesty

So yeah, I’ve given myself permission to grieve the special moments that have passed me by. I stopped berating myself for not getting over it sooner. Now, I continue to embrace the process of choosing joy day-by-day.

joychronicles 💕

-Nita.