What do a dizzying mountain road and the journey through grief have in common? In this episode, Ray shares a harrowing drive across Trail Ridge Road—the highest continuous paved road in North America—and how the experience mirrors the unpredictable, breath-stealing terrain of grief. With wit, heart, and the poetic strength of Edgar Albert Guest’s See It Through, you’ll be reminded that no matter how treacherous the climb, healing is not only possible—it’s inevitable. Pull over, take a breath, and get ready to feel seen. This is the episode your heart didn’t know it needed.

🔑 5 Salient Points:

• Grief can feel like altitude sickness—sudden, disorienting, and difficult to breathe through, much like the thin air on Trail Ridge Road.
• Rest areas matter—just like scenic pullouts on a steep drive, we need emotional space to pause, reflect, and regain our balance.
• Lack of guardrails = emotional risk—there are moments in grief when we feel vulnerable and unsupported, yet we keep moving forward.
• Perspective is healing—stepping back to see the “view” of our grief journey helps us realize how far we’ve come.
• Grief is survivable—like cresting a mountain summit, there comes a day when you can look back and say with quiet strength, “I made it.”