I mourn for the loss of loved ones.
Will any of us fully and truly avoid these experiences?
I doubt it; grief is one of the toughest battles we each face.
How we rise to those challenges says so much about our values.
Do we honor their memories well,
or do we selfishly fight against time?
Losing a loved one is so difficult. Looking back, though, and reflecting on happy moments and meaningful memories is how we can still express gratitude for the time we did have. Do we often want more? Sure, but will we always get what we want? No. So, as per the theme this cycle, count your blessings and cherish the minutes that we do share here.
I still miss those I loved who are no longer with me but I find I am grateful for having loved them.
-Rita Mae Brown
The gratitude has finally conquered the loss.
Life presents us with a series of difficulties. We can balk at the parts that we do not like, or we can look for lessons that are resting and waiting within; we can learn how to excel beyond and exceed our own expectations, or we can continue to complain about all the mundane. When handled appropriately, the adversities and struggles that you face can make you into a better and more balanced person. What if you could not know your full potential otherwise? Maybe you do not care now, but the world wants to see your best.
You can’t have a rainbow without a little rain.
-Dolly Parton
Gratitude grants a grotto (or a garden) of gratefulness within each of us. Adorn and decorate your grotto with all the things in your life that you are thankful for. Whenever you begin to feel particularly worked up or overwhelmed, retreat to and graze within your grotto for a bit. Let it calm and soothe you, reminding you that this, too, shall pass.
Each passing second is always brand-new. Our emotions and feelings will be up and down; the thankful things in our life, though, do not need to change. We can express gratitude for parents, partners, children, siblings, guardians, teachers, pets, and more even if they are no longer with us. We honor their memory and make them proud by doing our best. As a result, we can then be further grateful for our own actions, too.
If we slip or falter on occasion, that is alright. We can be grateful for the opportunity to get back on track; we can also appreciate the chance to right our wrongs; we can keep our eye on the prize, embracing and enjoying existence. Welcome it with open arms, and accept its warm embrace. Feel the love, and spread the love, fueled fully by gratitude.
Don’t cry because it’s over.
-Dr. Seuss
Smile because it happened.
Please know that you have my sympathy as you grapple with grief.
Allow grace and space to grow from it gradually.
Gravitate towards gratitude.
Maybe it is wise. Maybe it is dumb. Time will tell.