Losing something we value is difficult, especially when we poured our heart into it. Almost always, the body gets tense, the stomach tightens, and the mind runs wild, screaming. It's like a door slammed shut in our face, and we don't see a way out. Grief and fear are our natural responses. Instead of looking for open windows, we get stuck staring at the locked door, dwelling on the emptiness it left behind; regret or resentment often sets in.
Truth is, sometimes I let my emotions get in the way. I tend to hold on too tightly, even when, deep inside, I know we have already lost something.
Stumbling across Rachel Wolchin's words couldn't have come at a better time when one of our real-life projects went south:
If life can remove something you never thought of losing, it can replace it with something you never dreamt of having.
These were a true blessing, serving as a gentle nudge that helped me shift my gaze before my thoughts turned ugly and the emotional toll got brutal. It reminded me not to focus on the worst, but to try to see things from a different angle.
It encouraged me to let go of what I cannot control and trust that something better is on the way. I know... the pain of the loss won't just go away instantly, nor will it diminish the work, time, and energy we poured into what is now gone. But we acknowledge that new beginnings often disguise themselves as endings. And that alone keeps us hopeful.
We are learning to see the failed project not as a painful wound that could leave a permanent scar, but as necessary pruning—clearing away old structures, making room for stronger foundations. We may have to step back a bit for now, appreciate what life has already given us, and then charge ahead tomorrow.
Images are my own unless specified. 15102026/09:40ph