Bent, not broken.

As I was speaking to my therapist during our virtual session today, he said those words and it instantly resonated with me.

I was sharing how lost and defeated I’ve been feeling lately.

Surrounded by obstacles that seem too heavy to carry and almost unbearable at times.

I’m exhausted and drained.

I feel weak.

Broken.

And that’s when he said it.

He reminded me how strong I truly am, even though I don’t see it.

He said, “You are not broken.”

He went on to talk about how we “bend” under different circumstances and the stress and pressure that each one brings.

How we carry immense weight and feel strong emotions over a long period of time.

How we’ve been faced with challenges and decisions that feel out of our control and scary.

It effects us both physically and mentally.

I said to him, “We’ve been battling one hell of a storm.”

And he quickly agreed.

As I sit here looking at this tree, weathered and worn, I’m reminded of our conversation this morning.

Like trees, we bend and sway with the changing weather.

Sometimes we’re standing tall and strong, ready to tackle whatever life throws our way.

And other times, we’re hurting and bending over just trying to survive another day.

We’re all battling different storms and it can be hard not to feel isolated and lonely, especially now.

Please remember to be kind to yourself.

A little grace can go a long way.

And if you’re feeling lost and worn down from life right now, remember this.

You may be tired.

You may be bent.

But you are NOT broken.

Keep weathering the storm my friends.

And stand strong.

This too shall pass.