“Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” CS Lewis

During my seminary years, both my brother and dad died within a 3 year period. As a priest, I have given anointing of the sick to many souls and lost a few friends along the way. Some of these were very painful experiences, but I knew that following my natural period of grieving, thinking about it was not going to be helpful. It was difficult to push these nostalgic and emotionally charged thoughts out and focus on my studies or my priesthood, but I needed to protect myself, using my time and energies at the service of God and my fellow seminarians. I needed to let go and move forward!