steep, winding road

This is looking down part of the road we had to drive
to get to our cabin near Gatlinburg last weekend.
The first time up, 
in the dark, 
it seemed a lot steeper than it did after we traveled it 
a few times in the light.
When I started to walk down it,
to see if it was steep as it felt,
I thought to myself
"My road of grief is a little like this winding road.
The longer I am on it, 
the less frightening,
the more familiar it becomes.
It isn't easy, 
by any means,
but it definitely is easier to maneuver,
easier to recognize the twists,
it is less frightening,
I am more comfortable on it
than it was when I first started on it."
And I have discovered that there is beauty along the way.