Monkey Bars and Grief

“Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” – C.S. Lewis

Monkey bars were

never my thing

I was always afraid

of letting go

to grab onto

the next bar

to move forward

to the other side

to get to

the finish line

where I was

no longer

uncomfortably hanging

suspended

in mid-air

feet dangling

wondering when

I was going

to fall…

C.S. Lewis was correct

you have to let go at some point

in order to move forward

sometimes progress is slow

and it’s one rung

at a time

other times,

I can do two

and then I look back

and swivel around

to the rung before –

because it’s comfortable.

I’m not ready to leave –

I don’t feel ready to let go

and move forward

but then the dangling feet

and uncomfortable feelings

start again and

I have to let go and move.

Grief is fluid

always back and forth

up and down

letting go and

falling down

but getting back up

to grab the bars

always trying

sometimes failing

sometimes stalling

many times afraid

but

never

giving

up.

176 XO Lisa