Hello Friends,
Sadness can be a profound and complex emotion on our brain tumor journey. It often stems from various life experiences such as loss, disappointment, trauma, or change. It manifests differently for each individual, ranging from occasional unexpected tears to deep, persistent sorrow. Despite its challenging nature, sadness is a natural part of the human experience, and it nurtures reflection, growth, and empathy toward others. Learning to navigate and cope with sadness is an essential aspect of emotional resilience and well-being.
Recently, in our peer Zoom support group, I asked the question, "What makes you sad and how do you manage it?" It sparked a deep and heartfelt conversation, and Deidre, a BTCompanion attending her 10th group that day, had some deep thoughts to share on the topic. Fortunately, she wrote down her feelings and read them aloud to us. Deidre's note to self struck a chord with our members and I am grateful she approved for me to share her feelings with you. Can you relate to this?
"This group saved my life! At first, I thought it was my marriage of 24 years ending that I was most sad about, but in truth, it was losing my train of thought. I feel like my brain is in an abyss or a vortex, and I miss just being 'all over the place' (which is how people used to refer to me) rather than in this whirlwind of nothingness, which I can’t explain other than to say, 'I feel numb and unmotivated most of the time.' THAT is sad to me. Coming from a person who was so creative, (I was SO creative), organized, and motivated, to someone who is STUCK - I feel stuck! That makes me sad! I'm unable to snap out of something or replace that. I’m not sure how I got here. (Well, a brain tumor didn’t help!) It’s really weird and actually alarmingly poetic - I realize I am sad about my career as well - I feel like I’m watching from the sidelines now. I used to be the coach - it’s a very strange place to be… when I was such a power player for so long (in my dog grooming business), and now I’m not even someone in the stands. I’m peeking from behind the bleachers at the game going on. That makes me sad. That is my present life."
There is no right or wrong way to manage or express sadness. The only way through it is to take a deep, dark dive into all the feelings, no matter how painful they are. Start today by sharing with me what makes you sad. Set those feelings free!
If you are ready to join a peer support group sign up today. Simply reply to this email with which session you wish to join and click here to view the February and March schedule.
#StrongerTogether
Sincerely,
Angel
