Waves of Grief

By: Be Well Guest Contributor

“While grief can be arduous and painful, it also holds the potential for profound transformation and meaning. Within the realm of grief, we discover wisdom, savor life’s precious moments, tap into our inner strength and resilience in the face of adversity.”

~ Kelly Daugherty

A few weeks ago I started crying when spending time with a friend. Actually, I have been crying a lot these past few months, but these tears felt different from my previous tears. I turned to my friend and said, “I think these are tears of grief and mourning.” She nodded knowingly having been on this journey of my unraveling marriage with me for many years.

I recognized in that moment that my tears of grief were me mourning a future that would not be as I had hoped and dreamed. We would no longer live under the same roof as a family of four. We would not collectively awake and do the morning hustle together with bickers and snarks along the way. We would no longer have family trips to the beach to visit family, or the privilege of hugging our precious children every day.

There is no stopping grief. It comes in waves. Some of those waves knock us down, not knowing when we will surface and breathe again. Some waves just nudge us off balance for a few steps. None of us know which type of grief wave is coming and when it will arrive. 

Perhaps you too are in a season of grief. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one or you’re grieving the loss of a job, or a recent move is causing grief for you. Perhaps you’ve lost a beloved pet, are a new empty nester or grief is showing up due to a new diagnosis. 

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross describes 5 stages of grief, which can overlap at times.

Allowing our feelings to wash up like the waves of the ocean will help us better navigate through grief.

I am learning through experiencing different stages of grief that I can give myself permission to accept where I am, and let go of control. I am also hopeful that somewhere in my future I will eventually find new life and growth, along with healing and transformation.

What stage(s) are you in the grief process?

How will you surrender to your waves of grief this week?