Samantha... thank you. I just keep repeating what you wrote. It helped soothe the guilt and challenge my response until it was more "normal" ... realistic. Sad for the people but not guilty for surviving "my" earthquake. dh wanted to talk over the details of the disaster in Japan and I started to leave.... I didn't need anymore help feeling anxious. Instead... I stopped myself and went back in until he had talked it through. I maybe didn't hear everything he was saying because I was concentrating so hard on being present, but I did stay and breathed my way through. This is truly unusual for me to remain present in the face of great anxiety. I did not have a recurrence of the earthquake dreams.
I know that hearing of such tragedy and catastrophe can bring upon feelings of guilt and fear but you must know that you did not know what was happening at the time. Now that you have heard about this natural disaster you are worried for others, know that you are not to blame. Send your thoughts to those who are experiencing difficulties and continue focusing on your own improvement. Be sure to sleep well tonight.
OMG! I have not seen the news all day.... babysitting and messing around with my Zentangle. I just watched the pictures of the quake and sunami in Japan. I was goofing off while people were dieing. Will I never learn? Logically, I know this has absolutely nothing to do with me. Nothing. And, yet I feel so guilty and fear the nightmares returning to night.... probably ensuring that they will. I'm not sure how to handle this.