It’s over – it’s done – and you did the best you could, considering circumstances of grief, old haunting memories and unending scripts of useless words. But, then there were rewards: helpful phrases with gentle smiles, as well as stories that stirred healing memories and you knew you were holding your own.

A little like big turkey dinners, “What do we do with the left-overs?” Those feelings and emotions that just don’t want to settle, but keep turning over, stirring and scraping. And are they helpful or do they hinder the healing we continue to need? Consider this –

“A psychosomatic disorder is a disease which involves both mind and body. Some physical dseases are thought to be particularly prone to be made worse by mental factors such as stress and anxiety. Your current mental state can affect how bad a physical disease is at any given time” (Medical Internet).

Grief is a natural and normal process that can cause stress and anxiety, worry and fatigue. This is bound to take a whack at our body and physical stamina, yet it’s healthy. Is this something like giving someone a glass of water and saying, “This is good for you, but it might make you feel down.” Even though we might see shades of truth in this, it doesn’t have the last word. The body gives us those wonderful endorphins to help us through crisis times and then the body and soul digs up the resources to sustain our valleys.

We are stronger than we give ourselves credit. We have the necessary fortitude we need. Sometimes difficulties in our life smothers it. It is then we tell ourselves and others, we do have what it takes, what is necessary, even if we have to dig very deep to touch it, bring it forward and exercise it. It will be there waiting.

Google the following song and read the lyrics. A friend of Grieve and Grow recently referred me to it:

“Fight Song” by Rachel Platten – Chorus goes like this:

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I’m alright song

My power’s turned on

Starting right now I’ll be strong

I’ll play my fight song

And I don’t really care if nobody else believes

‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me

“`

Take a few moments and add your thoughts to your journal