It’s hard to believe that it has almost been a month since the Boston Marathon tragedy.  The events that transpired on that day and throughout the following week have left a mark on so many of us living in and around the community of Boston and beyond.  We have been affected in different ways andat different times – but its safe to say that we have all felt the gravity of this tragedy – no one more so than the victims and those who lost loved ones.

And now we’re left to pick ourselves up, as individuals and a community, to try and make sense of it all.  Shaken to the core.  A phrase we’ve heard before – but in this case, it has become a palpable reality for many.  Our core: our sense of self, sense of purpose, sense of being, sense of groundedness & connection.  So often, our core is covered up, even buried, by everything else pulling at our attention, or by years of past build-up.  For many, as a way to cope with pain and trauma, it may have been easier not to look at or confront the core of who we are.  It can be easier to keep our heads down, so to speak, and push on – without really looking at ourselves.  But when tragedy strikes, we can literally be stopped in our tracks.  And whether we’re ready and willing or not, we may be forced to look.  To look without and look within.  Finding our core in a very vulnerable position, what we see can be frightening – possibly leaving us pessimistic about the state of the world as a whole.  Surrounded and saturated by negativity and fear, it can be very hard to see any joy.  But ultimately & eventually we are asked to determine what matters most to us.  What this whole living thing really is all about.

Happiness. Health. Love. Joy. Space to feel joy. Gratitude. Connection. Community. Growth. Light. Breath. Nourishment. Creation. Partnership. Comfort. Creativity. Energy. Passion. Nature. Wonderment.  Chipping away to the bare bones of what it means to be human.  And at the center of it all – and in the center of our bodies, no less – we find our core.  That deep inner place within all of us.  Our ability to silence, quiet, and search for that internal space will constantly fluctuate, and may be a struggle at times.  But with patience and breath, we can guide ourselves within.  Each solitary breath reminding us of where we are in this moment.  The only moment that is truly ours for the taking.

©Copyright 2013 Emily Lapolice/Integrative Wellness Therapies. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.