The walk to the lake’s edge as the last of the day slipped behind the horizon was perfect for processing a long week, month, year.

Many people are uncomfortable talking about unhappy or stressful emotions and events. Or trying to empathize with those in the thick of the messy parts of life.

Nora McInerny adeptly addresses a wide array of tough-to-talk-about (and experience) life stories in her podcast “Terrible, Thanks for Asking.”

“How are you?” is more often treated as a greeting rather than an honest inquiry.

It is okay to be okay, and to not be okay, all at the same time or throughout different parts of the same day … or week… or month… or year.

As we exchanged quick notes in a group text of friends, I offered up “crabby” and shared some of the frustrations of the week, in response to the question of how I was doing. But in that same text expressing irritation and weariness, I also shared the photo below, sharing through the image the feeling of joy watching my girl Winnie embrace the last hurrah of warmish fall temps.

Hearkening back to the hidden gem of a singer and songwriter Raye Zaragoza in my 22/365 Joyful Music post, a few more lines from the opening of her song “Joy Revolution”:

I wanna stand on a hill
And sing at the top of my lungs
I wanna dance, tell my tales, cry, run, do whatever I want
I wanna join the joy revolution

I boldly declare
For once in my life I really don’t care
What anybody else thinks, let ’em all judge
I’m gonna join the joy revolution

~ Raye Zaragoza, “Joy Revolution” lyrics

Embrace all the feels, and keep in mind the words of Khalil Gibran, “Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.” The highs and lows of life are intertwined, and there is gratitude in having the chance to feel them all.

~ Kathy B.