A thunderstorm is a foreshadow of the unknown and the uncompromisable. When the skies get dark, and the sun hides behind the clouds, the world prepares for the inevitable. A storm is brewing.
It is spine-chilling, even terrifying, and it reminds me of my first break-up: The gloomy demeanor, the nonstop waterworks, even the roaring thunder heard throughout the land. Break-ups are dreadful and one of the hardest things to do.
However, like the thunderstorm, it is essential to our survival and growth. A thunderstorm keeps our ecosystem alive and thriving. It is what brings nurture and balance to our world. A break-up, meanwhile, is a milestone everyone must complete to truly know what they are capable of: heartbreak and self-nurture.
Thunderstorms can be calm and soothing, listening to the gentle raindrops cascading through the trees. Yet in an instant, a lightning bolt can flash through the sky so drastically, it seems to shake the Earth to its very core.
I think about lighting strikes as the memory flashes following a break-up. One moment you’re feeling OK and going along with your day when abruptly, a happy memory from your past relationship flashes through your mind, triggered by who knows what, but too late to matter anyway, the pain has already struck. Your heart feels heavy and shaken, down to your very core.
I wish I could report that a break-up is simple and straightforward, that healing is an effortless process, but I would be lying through my keyboard. Movies emphasize the beauty of love, just as they use a thunderstorm to foreshadow a dramatic twist in the story line. They say love is what makes the world go round but often forget to highlight the rough patches as well.
A breakup is confusing, terrifying, and an unsettling experience that most people avoid. Some days you start to feel OK, and it feels easier to move on. Other days, the weight of the world is on your shoulders, like a cartoon where a little thunderstorm cloud floats just above your head, ensuring you feel every drop of emotion.
At the end of the day, the best advice I can offer to anyone putting their hearts back together is to accept the rain. Accept the anger, and the sadness, and the mixed emotions, and simply push through it. You know the saying “Just ride out the storm.” The same can be applied to the healing journey. Take it day by day, step by step and you will see the skies lighten up. The roar of the water will calm to a gentle patter, the dark clouds will slowly dissipate, and the lightning strikes will not be so surprising.
It may not feel like you will get there, but trust me — you will. You will find joys in the little things of life and rediscover your independence. Embark on new adventures and make new memories.
Don’t forget, after the storm comes the rainbow.