“Bitterness imprisons life; love releases it.” -Harry Emerson Fosdick It is easy to become angry and bitter after losing a loved one. Finding or feeling joy and hope seems impossible. We may even feel that the loss is somehow a punishment, an action taken by the universe to ruin our lives. We may even lash outContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Open With Loving-Kindness”
Category Archives: Meditations
Monday Meditation: Strength & Courage
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”-Lao Tzu When we lose a loved one, we often lose the person who most believed in us, the person we leaned on when we needed to rest and gather ourselves. Once gone, we lack the support and encouragement that givesContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Strength & Courage”
Monday Meditation: To Love, Listen
“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 oneContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: To Love, Listen”
Monday Meditation: Sorting the Mess
“Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better.”-Marilyn Ferguson If you’ve ever moved, you know how stressful it is to be surrounded by a mess that you have to put away. But, before you can put anything away, you have to figure out where everything is going to go, and to do that,ContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Sorting the Mess”
Monday Meditation: Tomorrow was, Today is…
“There is only one day left, always starting over: it is given to us at dawn and taken away from us at dusk.”-Jean-Paul Sartre At first, grief days may be a whirlwind of chaos and disbelief. Then they may settle into long stretches populated with questions like ,”What now?” Nights seem longer at first, endlessContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Tomorrow was, Today is…”
Monday Meditation: Follow What Feels Good
“Re-examine all that you have been told…dismiss that which insults your soul.”-Walt Whitman Social opinions on grief are everywhere. They invade a grievers space from day one and snowball over time thanks to well-meaning (and not so well-meaning) grief supporters who aim to “fix” us and help us “get over” loss. We react to theseContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Follow What Feels Good”
Monday Meditation: A Chance to Renew
“Problems can be experienced as…a chance for renewal rather than stress.”-Marilyn Ferguson January 1 may be a fresh start for the calendar, but grief-related stress and issues don’t get the same consideration. Grief rolls over from year to year, and whatever has accumulated over time continues to expand. This produces stress and perhaps a desireContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: A Chance to Renew”
Monday Meditation: A Time for Reflection
“It is only by reflecting on the past that one can create a better future.”-Rithy Panh This is the last week of the 2020. What a year it has been. Many people suffered losses this year. On average fifty-six million people die a year (according to the World Death Clock). That leaves a lot ofContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: A Time for Reflection”
Monday Meditation: Season with Joy
“It is a fine seasoning for joy to think of those we love.” -Moliere Holidays may be an awkward time for grievers. First holidays, especially, can be tough. There is no etiquette for how to handle the first year of special events without a loved one. Do we relish in memories of past holidays? DoContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Season with Joy”
Monday Meditation: The Lonely Holiday
“Christmas is a holiday the persecutes the lonely, the frayed, and the rejected.”-Jimmy Cannon The Christmas season is upon us. It is a bittersweet time for grievers. First Christmases without a loved one are difficult, of course. But it’s the second, third, and rest of the Christmases without your loved one that may be theContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: The Lonely Holiday”
Monday Meditation: The High Road
“Take the high road. No matter how much strife, and consternation, frustration and anger you may be confronted with–don’t go to that level.” -Tim Gunn One of the unexpected challenges of grieving (for me at least) was dealing with grief supporters who, instead of supporting my path, used their time to put down my choicesContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: The High Road”
Monday Meditation: Thanksgiving
“There is one day that is ours. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American.”-O. Henry Thanksgiving 2020 is bittersweet. We are isolating. Many of us have lost loved ones. Many may be spending the day alone because of the pandemic. Many Americans are out of work or have lost family businesses becauseContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Thanksgiving”
Monday Mediation: A Test of Integrity
“Calamity is the test of integrity.”-Samuel Richardson Nothing tests us like distress. The same distress we experience also tests those around us. Distress, struggle, trauma, death–they challenge our character, our honesty, our morality, our honor. Grievers must make difficult decisions and choose from options they don’t always like in order to make the best ofContinueContinue reading “Monday Mediation: A Test of Integrity”
Monday Meditation: A Deep Breath
“I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart. I am. I am. I am.” -Sylvia Plath In grief, especially in the early days, a chaotic whirlwind swoops in and creates emotional confusion and mental anguish. Though it fades over (a lot of) time, this whirlwind can return without warning,ContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: A Deep Breath”
Monday Meditation: Transform Through Compassion
“For me, forgiveness and compassion are always linked: how do we hold people accountable for wrongdoing and yet at the same time remain in touch with their humanity enough to believe in their capacity to be transformed?”-belle hooks It’s difficult to extend compassion to, or forgive, someone who has hurt you or people you know.ContinueContinue reading “Monday Meditation: Transform Through Compassion”