Unavoidable Grief

"I can be changed by what happens to me,

I refuse to be reduced by it."

Maya Angelou

Grief is an element of life appearing in numerous forms and reaching various levels of intensity. Our focus is best placed on how to cope, as grief itself is totally unavoidable. When we repress or avoid it, we are only elongating the experience. It is best to meet it face on, feeling the loss deeply, and then gently adapting.

Clearly, we cannot simply replace what had been, nor should we try. Each experience provided us with a gift whether negative or positive. If we can shift our thoughts from the painful thoughts to what was shared, we can retain a sense of continuity. Healing from grief is not about forgetting.

Loss of any kind contains a segment of grief. When we are able to capture loving memories, we can gently move towards healing. If we can carry a piece of what we have lost within our hearts, we will find it easier to move forward. As we learn to trust that there will be happier unfoldings in our future, we will not be overly detained in our sorrow.