Heavy Things Become Light

Something needs to be said for today, July 27. Three years ago this day a light went out and the world stood quiet for Ginny McDougal.



I think life throws us these big heavy things called Experience. And Experience doesn’t come with instructions or WikiHow, just (hopefully) some awesome people to help you deal with it all. Sometimes this Experience weighs a bit heavier than usual, sinks you a bit lower, lingers a little longer… and that usually means it’s brought along some Perspective. Perspective forces the changing of lens’, a new angle, more pixels. There’s a moment of blurriness, the haze of life re-focusing… and then, finally, Clarity.

Experience. Perspective. Clarity.

And it never stops. Experiences will never cease. There will always be a new Perspective. And Clarity is always there... if we are open to it.

Heavy things become light... if we give them time and let them.

I always like to include an excerpt from David Lindsay-Abaire's play Rabbit Hole, because he phrases this sentiment beautifully:

Becca. (After a beat) Mom? (Nat looks up at her.) Does it go away?
Nat. What?
Becca. This feeling. Does it ever go away? (Beat.)
Nat. No. I don't think it does. Not for me, it hasn't and that's goin' on eleven years. (Beat.) It changes though.
Becca. How?
Nat. I don't know. The weight of it, I guess. At some point it becomes bearable. It turns into something you can crawl out from under. And carry around- like a brick in your pocket. And you forget it every once in a while, but then you reach in for whatever reason and there it is: "Oh Right. That." Which can be awful. But not all the time. Sometimes it's kinda... Not that you like it exactly, but it's what you have instead of your son, so I don't wanna let go of it either. So you carry it around. And it doesn't go away, which is...
Becca. What?
Nat. Fine... actually.

And that's where I am right now. Heavy things becoming light. And comforting in a way. Like, because she's not here in a physical sense then she's allowed to always be around me.

It was almost lunch when I remembered what today was. I looked around, and realized I was exactly where I was three years ago. The theatre. And that too was comforting... the sense of home. I opened the curtain in the black box to look at the overcast sky for a bit, played a little Billy Joel, and went on with my day with an extra smile for her... because that's what she taught me: smile more. As cliche as it sounds, there's just no time to waste on NOT being happy. Another thing, I do truly believe everything happens for a reason. YOU are reading this blog post for a reason. And perhaps it's for the reminder to breathe deep, give thanks, love each other more, love ourselves more, and live in everyday rapture. Take care of each other because you never know what life will throw at you.