During my time as grief counsellor and writing Grieve and Grow newspaper columns, I had opportunity to think about how others work through their grief. Because it is a personal journey and everyone walks it differently, each story is an isolated path leading from one mindset to another. However, I have found within grief groups, there is common ground even in our differentness.

As I can only speak for myself, there are certain understandings that I would never have had a reason to explore without grief. There were emotions that I could take the time to unpack. And in my wanderings, I would never have learned to build bridges to get across, or through the valleys of helplessness and confusion. These bridges were structures of hope. They offered invitations to develop a new sense of courage, tenacity, honesty and willingness to help define a new normal.

John C. Raines describes a sojourn of grief as: “Grief is a midwife; it lets the journey continue.” Think about the bridges in your path. Perhaps friends have bridged the valleys for you. Maybe, gifts of writing, painting or caring for others have been the midwife for you. One’s faith can be a gate to take the next step.

 

 

 

Dig out what has been helpful for you during this time and take some time to add it to your journal notes.

 

 

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