I love the Olympics…like an unhealthy amount. If it is the winter Olympics and I have to work you can expect Olympic themed bulletin boards (shout out to my awesome assistant who made a torch completely out of construction paper), highlight videos, and an updated medal count on the board. And you had better believe every text we read is going to be Olympic related. If it’s the Summer Olympics that means school is out and I can spend all day watching everything from archery to badminton to canoeing.
In college, I spent a semester studying abroad in Athens, Greece. We toured Corinth and walked where Paul walked. We had a bible study at the spot where Paul gave his message to the Athenians and took an overnight bus to see the spot where Lydia was baptized. All of those were incredibly powerful, once in a lifetime experiences, but I shed real tears at the spot where they light the Olympic flame each year. I packed a special outfit for our trip to Olympia and voluntarily participated in a race at the ancient Olympic stadium (Yes, I will post pictures on the Instagram this week). You get the picture, I’m obsessed with the Olympics.
At every Olympics the host country designs a pictogram for each event. Japan’s are particularly good-they even created live versions during the opening ceremony So I decided to reinterpret some of these pictograms and apply them to my own grief journey. That’s right, welcome to the grief Olympics.
Therapy: Specifically, your first therapy appointment when your therapist makes you tell your story and you dive headfirst into the trauma.
Platitudes: Your reaction when people offer you unhelpful advice like, “everything happens for a reason” or “at least you’re still young-I’m sure you’ll find somebody else”
Don’t give a Beep: When you reach that point where you will go to the grocery store in sweatpants and a stained shirt because you could care less what people think of you.
Returning to Work: Each day of being ‘normal’ feels like scaling a rock wall. Also you know you are one false step or bad handhold away from a complete breakdown at your place of employment.
Adulting: Where you juggle all of the household tasks because you no longer have a partner to pitch in but you still like to have running water, electricity, and clean silverware.
Grief Wave: When things are going well then out of nowhere a new wave of grief comes and knocks you out. You probably thought I would pick the surfing icon for this but it doesn’t feel like riding the wave-it feels like this picture.
Logistics: Switching all of the accounts to just your name isn’t as easy as you might anticipate. Be prepared to fight with each level of customer service before you final get to someone who can help (except for USAA-you were great. Comcast…you were terrible).
Widowed and Writing 
So freakin’ clever
Sent from my iPhone
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This is simply the best and I want these icons all over everything. Cute post, but also so very honest and useful.
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