It’s a difficult word. Each one of us feels something different when we hear that word. Many of us push sadness away not wanting to feel weak. But grief is not weakness. It is an absolutely important, valuable emotion that is there to help us get through our losses.
Grief is the natural response to loss.
We all have loss. Every living thing has change and loss. Some of our losses have to do with people we deeply love. Some of our losses are in relationships, in childhoods where we lost our innocence, loss of health, loss of friendship, loss of finances, loss of jobs, etc. There are many losses the human experience. And grief is the natural response.
Grief is full of different emotions and is not linear. Our losses are not meant for us to ”get over” but rather to grow into. Jerry Sitter states, “You begin to wear your loss, it becomes part of the landscape of your life. It is not through it but it is absorbing it. Wearing it, growing into it, until it becomes clothes that fit better. We should carry loss in our hearts for the rest of our lives.”
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Grief is an essential part of life. Connection and community can help. Allowing others to help you and offering yourself compassion and permission to feel whatever you are feeling are all ways to grow into your losses. In time, grief will develop something new in your life. You will understand life differently, your perspective will completely change and you will learn to live in different “clothes”
Unresolved grief is dangerous and comes out in unhealthy ways.
What do you need to grieve?
What have you pushed away and refused to allow yourself to feel and grieve due to fear?
And if you’re in the middle of your grief please know you are not alone. Grief is an extremely difficult emotion! Reach out if you need support.