“The first duty of love is to listen.”
-Paul Tillich
Grief is a response to love lost and grief is the expression of deep love itself. As such, grievers must honor the love within grief, and listen to what it shares about their life, their memories, and their future.
To truly honor a lost loved one and the love a griever feels for them, a griever must open themselves to the messages grief offers, even in its most painful moments. Grief is not here to hurt us, although it feels like it most of the time. It is an experience of the raw, sharp, fiery nature of love that is uncovered when the wound of loss opens.
Grief is here to help us heal that wound, to help us preserve that love in the recesses of our heart. To do this, we must listen. Under that pain and sorrow is a voice, an instructive voice, that advises us on how to navigate the transition to post-loss life.
If the pain of grief is loud and roaring, the voice of grief is a quiet, calm, reassuring whisper. By finding peace amidst the roaring pain, grievers can find clarity bit by bit. Take time each day (whether five minutes or one hour) to sift through the roar each day to let the soft whisper rise.
How can you listen to your grieving love today?
A.N.Carroll 