A Place To Cry

"And I keep thinking about how sky is a singular noun,

as if it's one thing. But the sky isn't one thing. The

sky is everything. And last night, it was enough."

John Green

Each of us have a safe place for retreat whether it be in memory, meditation, artwork or the written word. Escape can be facilitated by different objects, places, and thought. It is in this particular space we can sigh a deep breath and regroup. We can experience a pause allowing our clutter to fall from our body, minds, and souls.

Utilizing a safe space is not dissociating or a dysfunctional behavior. Actually, it is healthy to have a haven to regroup and restore. Three breaths in through the nostrils and exhale out the mouth can ground our splintered state of chaos. Release of the stress is felt immediately.

We could learn from children. Watch them in hot heavy play, and one of them impulsively wanders from the game and collapses under a tree. We can count heads and discover one is missing and find the absent on his or her back leisurely staring at the sky. As adults, we need to give ourselves permission to look up towards the sky, as it mysteriously offers compassion, comfort, and a place to cry.