Crossing the Ice by Kyle Fisher

You know those videos you come across of someone trying not to fall as they walk across a frozen driveway trying to get to their car? As they slip and slide across the ice, struggling to stay upright, they might only proceed inches at a time. Sometimes they’ll barely make it by grabbing on to something at the last second. Often they’ll fall, then struggle to get up again. Occasionally they’ll spend a long time shimmying to their destination, but eventually make it. 

 

Here in the midwest, many of us experience this firsthand every year. We know the jolt we feel in our bodies when we slip or slide, but don’t fall. Some of us are also familiar with the embarrassment and pain that come with losing our footing and hitting the ground.

 

Do you ever experience these feelings when you’re just trying to get through your life? I’ll be the first to share that I certainly do. Aside from being a full-time graduate student and interning at Being Human, I also work full-time, parent 2 cats, maintain a relationship with my lovely partner, help keep our home clean, manage my finances, share meal prep responsibilities, and try to make time for activities that support my wellbeing. Pretty often, navigating my life feels like trying not to fall as I walk across ice. And that’s ok.

 

I’m certain that you reading this have your own life that you’re balancing and set of responsibilities you’re juggling. It’s not uncommon to feel like, at any second, you could slip and tumble to the group. In those moments, remember how you made it across that ice some winters ago. You took it slow. One step at a time. Held on to something to keep your balance.

 

You can apply this midwestern wisdom to your life situation to make it to a more peaceful place. Slow down. Take a break and give yourself a few minutes to just breathe and exist. Talk to someone or do something that brings you joy to help keep your balance. That relief you felt when you successfully crossed the ice and made it to your car or inside a building? You can feel that in in your life. Even it only lasts a brief time, keep going and you will make it to your destination.