Even Tiny Pain is Real

Heavy silence swam through the phone lines.

Silent weeping on my end. Fervid wishing for a cure on my mom’s.

Finally, I took a big breath.

I know there are people out there that have it worse, but this really sucks.

I felt incrementally better as I spoke this truth.

I had been trying so hard to maintain perspective and stay positive.

So hard, in fact, that I was adding guilt to my heartbreak. Feeling guilty and unappreciative anytime I grieved.

Acknowledging pain is a necessary part of healing. A balmy salve that relieves the deep sting.

Your pain is real. Large, small, ongoing, one-time.
It hurts, it sucks, it’s uniquely your own.

Give it the recognition it deserves. Allow yourself to acknowledge it without guilt.

Apply a thin layer of salve and move on.