I've written about grief before, and I've copied some previous thoughts here. But I've been thinking a lot about grief as I am in the midst of it again, and as I see friends also trying to navigate their own loss and grief.
It makes me think of how different each loss has been for me. How different loss is for everyone. How absolutely nothing will ever be the same again after losing someone you love.
It's such a strange feeling, walking around in a haze of grief while everyone else is just carrying on like life is normal.
But you have to keep going, right? You have to keep living, going to school, going to work, doing the dishes, feeding the cat, yada yada. The world keeps on moving even though your whole world has changed. It will truly never be the same - anyone who has grieved the loss of a loved one knows, it never goes away, it never really gets smaller.
Here's the thing, though. It DOES get easier to carry, because your life gets bigger. The pain of it will come and go in waves, but eventually, the good days outnumber the bad days. You find your new normal and this grief you carry becomes part of who you are. A scar more than a gaping wound. Not gone - forever changing the landscape of your heart, but still allowing it to function at full capacity.
It takes time. And how long a time is different for everyone. So be gentle and patient with yourself. Allow yourself to grieve, but don't be afraid to keep moving and keep living. You'll get there.
