Grief and Gratitude

I know this may sound like the impossible but hear me out.

We have all experienced a great love and lost it. We know the pain and emptiness that is left in the void of loss. We believe, in the moment, it will never go away.   However, can we ever fully feel the pain and understand it without celebrating what that love meant to us?

The person whom I’ve lost that cut the deepest was my grandmother. She was like a mother to me and my life experiences were influenced by her.   Today, I still want to call her and tell her what is going on in my life, but she passed about 10 years ago. I told my friends to prepare, “I will need life support when she goes because a part of me will be gone forever.”

So, as tears wash my cheeks, I give gratitude to her; for raising a caring, forgiving, and strong woman.   To my father for giving me enough rope, as well as strength and independence. To Lyme Disease, for teaching me patience in myself, how to set priorities, and make the most of the good days. To my ex, for showing me how grow into myself as a wife and for being the teacher of what I don’t want or that I have to settle. Lastly, to Lockheed Martin, for teaching me teamwork, self appraisal, deadlines, and the value of hard work.

What do you have to be thankful for? What gifts were left behind? Perhaps you need to dig deep, forgive, look passed the anger, or sit quietly and hear your inner thoughts. Journaling is a proven method for looking beyond the immediate feeling. I also suggest mandala’s which are both entertaining and therapeutic. I’ve posted a few variations on my website to check out.