Take a Deep Breath

Story

A few weeks ago, I sat in the car with a friend of mine while he told me about a family member who was close to passing away. We haven’t known each other very long, but he confided in me about the pain he had watching his loved one struggle through the last days of her life. All of a sudden, he burst into tears. We sat in silence for a long while, him processing his emotions and me trying to comfort him as best as I could without overwhelming him.

Grief is a very complex emotion. I’ve grieved, watched others around me grieve, and seen it depicted on TV — we all do it differently. I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries as his friend by offering supportive advice, so instead, I sat there and held his hand as he cried. But, the most important thing I believe I did at that moment for him? Remind him to breathe.

We often forget the easiest thing to do whenever we’re overcome with emotion. But it’s incredible how much our body can release as we exhale and allow ourselves to let go of pent-up feelings. Sometimes, a deep breath is all we need.

Be bold,

Landri

Artist

Daneisha Kirksey