Thursday, January 30, 2025

What a difference a year makes!

One year ago this month, our family was preparing to leave for Costa Rica on a family vacation. I was in a horrific spot mentally and by the time we returned, I was basically unable to function. 

What followed was truly the hardest year of my life. Depression, anxiety, intensive therapy, and a lot of begging and pleading and learning and growing. 

It was during this year that I finally came face-to-face with the pain from my past that was causing the debilitating depression and anxiety. And I began to work my tail off to heal from it!

Fast forward one year.  

We are preparing to leave for Belize for a family vacation, and I am facing this trip with excitement! The anxiety is gone! I'm feeling so happy and nearly carefree. Sure, life is hard, and there is work to do, but my gosh . . . what a difference a year can make. 

The path of my life has changed forever. I will be forever marked (and I believe the passion of my life has been sealed) by this "story work" that I have discovered. This is about looking your grief and trauma in the face and making sure you share the story and stand alongside others in your pain. 

I am currently in a group of eleven women who are working through our stories together. And one of those dear women sent me this message last night. I am running around frantically getting ready for my trip. And Bethany wanted me to remember what a joy this year was for me. She had sat by me just a few days before the 2024 trip as I told her how debilitated I was. 

And now she gets to see me leave in 2025 a changed person! What a gift!

"I am praying for you as you prepare for this vacation. With all the work that has to be done before you get to go. But I am also reminded about this time last year. When you weren’t sure that you could even go on your vacation and you were so concerned that you were going to be a burden to your family and friends. I’m so incredibly proud of you Wendy. Look at where you are and what you have come through. You have done such hard work. And there has been so much change and like you said, the highs are not as high and the lows are not as low and you’re starting to even out and what a blessing that is. Thank you for sharing even from a year ago sharing that you were struggling so hard and not able to function. You’re willingness to share to start digging into all this has blessed not only yourself but me in so many other others."

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