One of the books I’m reading at the moment, which I quoted the other day, ya know, while I was looking for my ferret, is speaking some really life-giving words to my soul at the moment. I’m adding a little Amazon link right here right now, in case you would like to read the life-giving words, too.

You might enjoy this book if you 1) are breathing 2) ever feel like saying “I’m fine” when you don’t feel that way or 3) find yourself avoiding confrontation like the Black Plague.

Anywho. Here’s what I feel like I needed to hear this evening that you might need to hear, too.

It is okay, and even good, to be honest about your emotions.

It is good to be honest with God.

It is good to be honest with the people around you.

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{An honest dog, who’s visiting with my brother, who just met his second nephew for the first time!}

If you’re hurting, angry, sad, disappointed, confused, or something else, hereby receive the permission you may or may not have realized you already had to speak freely. Feel free to practice in the comments, but I also recommend speaking to other people in real life to talk about what you’re going through.

Speaking freely and honestly, I personally don’t do very well with speaking freely and honestly. I would rather you perceive me as having it all together than take a chance at letting my guard down and change those perceptions.

Right now, for example, life feels kind of confusing for me — as if there’s a fog over my head and I’m watching my life through one of those viewing windows you look through when people are being interviewed by the police in those intimidating rooms that just have a table and two metal chairs.

I’m confident that this is all a part of the process of re-entry, and I’m not planning to start worrying about how and when the fog will lift. In the meantime, it’s here with a little sadness, a bit of feeling disconnected. Even a bit of wishing I was somehow more in control. Transition is weird.

Sometimes unpleasant…like the air biscuits my brother’s dog is laying as I type this right now.

Fear encourages us not to be honest about how we’re feeling. But these emotions are a part of this glorious human experience. And I don’t know whether there’s supposed to be a ‘u’ in glorious anymore.

But it’s still glorious.

The next time someone asks how you’re doing, I hope you’ll think twice before just saying “Fine.” {And thanks, Emily, I needed the reminder.}

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{A point I think I’m suppose to add down here: Grace for the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman is 1) a great book 2) available on Amazon and 3) if you click that link up there and go buy the book at Amazon, like the little carousel to the right, a small portion of the sale will come my way. Kind of like commission. Which is nifty. So there ya go.}