I was lost. Hopelessly lost.

“In the middle of the journey of my life, I found myself in a dark wood with no clear way out.” So begins Dante’s Divine Comedy.

That was me.

It wasn’t comedy.

I was bored; restless, unhappy.

Yearning for something more, different, exciting.

I was searching for meaning, purpose; something.

And it seemed ridiculous to me. Because by all outward appearances, I had it all. The beautiful house, the nice cars, a big boat, a fancy office, a prestigious career.

There was so much to be grateful for. And, yet, there I was: a miserable fuck.

My marriage failed. (Or I failed my marriage. Inartfully, unlovingly.)

I’d burned the metaphorical house down.

I became a caricature of myself; a hapless single dad, raising three young boys; a listless lawyer trying to manage a firm.

Trying to keep my shit together.

But truth be told: it was just a shit show.

Barely able to crawl out of bed; barely able to keep my head above water most days.

I couldn’t see the way.

But there was a way.

And I’m here to tell you that there is a way for you.

Not an easy way. (Nothing worthwhile is easy.)

But a way that leads to joy and peace.

Here’s the bad news: When you’re lost in the woods, you need to stop. (And hug a tree as we tell our kids.) You simply can’t run headlong into the maelstrom. You’ll break too many things. Yourself and others.

Your need to get quiet and still. You need to surround yourself with good friends and wise guides.

You cannot do this yourself.

You need to feel the feels. The sadness. The remorse. The fear. The trembling.

You need to let the tears come.

And then you must get out of that brilliant mind of yours.

Connect with the ground. The Ground of Being.

Drop into your heart space.

Feel your heart.

Listen to that beautiful heart of yours. Because your heart knows the way.

It always knows the way.

From that place – only from that place – will the darkness shift.

Dawn will come.

Through the dark wood, you will begin to see the path.

To your new life that is already waiting.

Peace to you.