Friday, August 30, 2013

Grief

Grief is not the enemy.
Grief is the teacher. 
But its lessons are not learned in the head.
With the mind.
Its lessons are heart lessons.
Love-centered.
Filtered through grace. 
Over 
and over
and over
again
our mind will say
“But, this is not fair.”
“I don’t deserve this.”
“Why me?”
“I will never get over this.”
“The pain will always be there.” 
Don’t get trapped
in the viscous
replaying
voices
of your mind. 
Grief is not a head-thing.
Not if you want to heal. 
Healing grief 
is a heart thing. 
And when the heart speaks
to you
in silence
it says
I know darkness
deep, all-encompassing, endless
darkness
so I will be light
for the next person. 
I know loneliness
even in (especially in)
a room full of people
so I will be friend
for the next person. 
I know terror
Indescribable,
inexplicable
terror
so I will be comfort
for the next person. 
And I know despair.
Paralyzing
can’t-get-out-of-bed
life is too dark
despair
so I will be hope
for the next person. 
And in time
with grace
and heart
I realize that
I am more of who I was
not less. 
I am more.
Not less. 
We think that grief is the enemy
to be avoided at all costs.
It is not.
Grief is not the enemy.
Great is the great, life-giving teacher. 
Not in spite of the fact that someone you love has died.
But because of that fact that someone you love has died. 
Grief is the teacher.
The life-giving, heart-expanding teacher.
Because you have chosen to say yes
to life
to love
to your beloved, 
really,
over
and over
and over again. 
Grief is not the enemy. 
Tom Zuba 

No comments:

Post a Comment