Foggy
A few weeks ago I was taking a road trip up to North Carolina for a weekend work retreat. Since I planned to make the entire 11 hour drive all in one day, I left my house pretty early in the morning. As is often the case in my neck of the woods, it was foggy when I left my neighborhood. Normally it burns off after an hour or so as the sun gets higher and warmer, but not this time– it remained fairly foggy for over an hour!
As I drove through all this fog, I found myself pondering it. Visibility was less than half a mile, but I could still see fairly well. At least I wasn’t too concerned about not being able to see any vehicles around me. The sun would peek through occasionally in spots, and it wasn’t really a gloomy sort of fog. The fogginess that morning felt more cozy than dreary. It wasn’t the heavy sort of dense fog that can drag down your spirits.
I was thinking how the fog that morning was like life sometimes. We experience places, situations, and times in our lives that are foggy and difficult to see through. It’s difficult to discern where to go and what to do. And the thing about fog is that you can’t do anything about it– it’s completely beyond your control. All you can really do is exactly what I did while I was driving that morning– be aware and vigilent about my surroundings and take extra precautions to stay safe on the road.
When we find ourselves in a foggy time of life (and we all do from time to time), do you practice good self-care? Do you take extra time for yourself to make sure you’re ok? Maybe that involves meditation or increased quality time with good friends/family. Perhaps it’s taking up a new hobby or trying that yoga class you’ve been hearing about. Or maybe just taking the afternoon to settle in with a cup of tea and a good book. Whatever it is for you!
The other important thing to remember is that the fog always lifts– eventually. Sometimes we drive out of it in just a few miles. Sometimes, like the morning I was driving, it takes much longer.
After almost 90 minutes of driving in this fog, I was beginning to get really tired of it. I had reached the point in my trip where I was nearing the Alabama/Georgia/Tennessee state lines, and the terrain becomes a little mountainous there. I’d started up a big hill, and suddenly– I could see it in the distance– the sun was breaking through and the fog ended! It was glorious, like night and day, dark and light. The distinction between foggy and not foggy was just that clear! I could look in my rearview mirror and see the foggy area behind me. But all around me and in front of me was nothing but bright sunshine.
And it occurred to me at that very moment that life is so much like that sometimes. We struggle through difficulties for so long, and then one day– it’s easier. The grief lessens, the depression lifts, the pain fades, life just seems a little brighter and you can breathe again.
If you’re curious about how music therapy and GIM might help you, contact me anytime. I’m always happy to answer questions!
