Rock Bottom

rock bottom.

rock bottom is a tough place. whether handed to you by fate or through a series of bad choices, rock bottom says, “life as you know it, is over.” it’s the dead end of the path you were on.

rock bottom introduces itself as a smashing, grinding halt that puts all things motionless in an abrupt and staggering crash. the veil of illusion is ripped away to reveal a reality of wrath and tears. it hurts, bad. and chances are you hurt or lost someone you love on your way there.

rock bottom never travels alone. it’s the companion of shame, guilt, regret, fear, uncertainty, and that sick feeling in your stomach that you can’t throw up, no matter how hard you try.

from rock bottom, you can see everyone else ‘up there’ living in life. going about their lives, undisturbed. even if you have friends and family, the best they can do is look down from the safety above.

in the tumult of rock bottom, your life and its attachments are strewn about like a shipwreck on a desert coastline. for a time, you must simply sit with that.

you must sit and absorb the truth of your station like a sunburn to the soul.

and yet, for all the suffering and difficulty that rock bottom offers, it equally provides in clarity. there, in that pit of despair, you see two choices.

stay.

climb out.

that’s it.

simple.

but not easy.

if you stay, you make a home of the remains of your previous life. but you will suffer. your old attachments will never be satisfied by trying to make whole what once was. the cracks and fissures will only remind you of brokenness.

if you leave, you must be reborn and leave a part of yourself behind. you will suffer, but it will forge you anew. your blood, sweat, and tears will transform fear and uncertainty into courage. your sinew and muscle will strengthen from the climb. you will bear scars but in them are lessons to share.

through the darkness, your light will shine for others.

climb out.