The Gifts of Grief

I have found that there are many gifts that grief holds within it, if we are willing and able to open ourselves fully to it.

The passing of my youngest son a few months ago has ushered into my life an abundance of grief but also an abundance of love, wisdom, understanding and sensitivity to all around me.

The natural reflex when we are faced with challenges and heartache is to shut down and block the world out.

It can feel better not to feel sometimes.

Grief comes in and ushers away the ability to shit down. It rips you open and allows the pain and all of the emotions to flow out of you and into the world.

It guards your heart with the knowing that even if others do not understand what you are going through, it is ok.

Grief knows and it holds you through each and every wave of thoughts and emotions.

Life is a series of meeting grief over and over again in new ways.

We grieve for not only the loss of someone we loved but also parts of ourselves and our lives as we grow and change throughout it.

Grief can be found in the exciting times and the sad ones.

We can grieve the loss of an old home while still being excited for the new one.

We can grieve the loss of a relationship while still knowing it was the right decision to end it.

We can grieve the loss of a dream we held close to our hearts that never came to pass while still be excited for a new dream to be born.

Life is full of grief.

When we can allow our hearts to open to it we allow in the gifts that grief holds for us.

The gifts it gives will change you.

It will be painful yes. It always is.

But through the pain you will find the purpose of why grief has come to you and you will find a new way of living with it as a faithful companion and not something you need to protect yourself from.

Grief has gifts for those who open their hearts to it.

Grief comes to change you because you needed to see things differently.