The Thing About Grief
Grief is love with no place to go. In the last decade I’ve watched love ones succumb to cancer. I’ve lost beloved pets. My marriage ended. I'm well-acquainted with grief. Here’s the thing about grief: It isn't linear. It isn’t something you get through. It is waves pounding the shore over and over again. There are moments of calm and there are moments of near-drowning. It changes you. It becomes a part of you, forever. You will never completely let go. But you will survive. You will keep swimming. Here’s the thing about love: It doesn’t diminish. The well is full, and always will be. Always. You will love again. Love is abundant in you. Do not quench it in the name of grief. Feel the loss. Feel the love. Feel gratitude for the time you shared with those you loved. And know that you're okay. Grief doesn’t end, but one day, when you are holding a memory, it won’t hurt quite as much, and you will smile through the tears.