Over the course of a few days recently I felt very rough about my Dad’s passing. I still sometimes expect the phone to ring and for him to be at the other end.

Grief can be a horrid thing. It can attach your senses when you least expect it. Whether triggered by something you see or hear, it can be really brutal. Getting through those moments can be a tremendous challenge. Part of the challenge for me has been facing that monster head on. Walking through it, on top of it, and around it. Running past it and leaving enough smoke behind that it cannot catch up to me.

Turning around any situation requires owning the moment. Learning to own the moment takes a lifetime of practice. It is not something that can be learned overnight. When it is learned there is not guarantee of 100% success. When you own the moment and can claim victory, build on that victory so you can be stronger the next time you feel a bit crushed by the pressure.

The next battle you face with yourself can be won with greater strength and personal solidarity with your own emotions. These fights are such important battles to win. Why? I don’t know the definitive answer really. The best answer I could give is that each time you overcome these or similar moments, you build on strength. You build on yourself and your ability to weather out the storms of life and prevent those same storms from washing you to sea.