Dancing Through the Storm: Finding Thankfulness in the Healing Journey
Dancing Through the Storm: Finding Thankfulness in the Healing Journey
November is a time when we reflect on what we’re thankful for, but for many survivors of sexual assault, gratitude can feel complicated. It’s hard to look around and see blessings when you’re healing from trauma. But even in the midst of pain, there are moments—small and quiet—that we can still be thankful for.
The song "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack offers a message of not just surviving but embracing life’s moments with gratitude, even when life has tried to break us down. It’s about choosing to dance, to not sit life out, no matter how difficult the journey has been.
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Choosing Gratitude in the Midst of Healing
For survivors, the idea of dancing might not always seem possible—yet. But what if we took a moment to look around at the things we take for granted? It could be the warmth of the sun on your skin, the sound of laughter from someone you love, or even the strength it took to get out of bed today. These moments, while small, are reminders that life holds beauty even in our darkest times.
We often think of gratitude as something big, but healing teaches us to notice the smallest victories. Maybe you’re thankful for the friend who checked in on you, or for the space you’ve created to finally take care of yourself. Maybe it’s the quiet strength you’ve found within—strength you didn’t know you had.
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Gratitude Prompts for Survivors
Here are some reflections that might help as you begin to notice the things to be thankful for, even as you’re healing:
What is one thing you’re thankful for today, no matter how small?
Even in pain, is there a moment that brought you peace or comfort today?
Who has supported you on this journey, and how can you express gratitude to them?
It could be a friend, a family member, or even a therapist. Gratitude can be found in the people who remind us we’re not alone.
What inner strength are you grateful for?
Maybe it’s resilience, maybe it’s the courage to seek help, or the decision to show up for yourself each day.
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Learning to Dance Again
In the song, Lee Ann Womack sings, “I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.” For survivors, this lyric can be a reminder of how healing is both personal and bigger than we sometimes feel capable of. Life moves forward, and in time, we begin to rediscover joy. Dancing doesn’t mean forgetting our trauma—it means allowing ourselves to live in the beauty of life again, bit by bit, as we heal.
You may not be ready to dance today—and that’s okay. But healing is about trusting that one day, the dance will come. It’s about being thankful for the moments that bring us closer to that day.
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A Gratitude Challenge
As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, take a moment each day to notice one thing you’re thankful for. It could be something as simple as the way the light falls through your window, or the fact that you’ve made it through another hard day. Write it down. Keep a list of these small blessings. In time, you’ll see that despite the hardships, there’s still so much to be grateful for—and these moments of gratitude are part of your healing.
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Thankfulness doesn’t erase the pain, but it helps us to see the goodness that still surrounds us. Like the song says, “When you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.” Healing is learning to dance again, and in the moments of gratitude, we
can begin to rediscover the joy that life still holds.
Kathe'rine