Good Grief

Good Grief

July 25, 2024

“Grief, I’ve learned, is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give, but cannot. All that unspent love gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in that hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go.”

A quote I think about often. The wave of emotions that hit when you remember or wish that they were here - there's really nothing you can do with it. You can cradle the feeling in your heart, reminiscent of what you miss the most. Sometimes fleeting or lingering for a time. No matter the duration, we can't stay there long because we may never move on. 

At some point, grief can feel like joy, thankful for the time well spent. Thankful for what you gained and the foundation left behind for who you are today. Shared laughter with those also sharing the loss, reflecting on that one time. Good grief I'd call it, the kind that warms the parts of your heart that you keep close. 

Grief for my Dad can be fleeting but also lingering. Daily I miss the little things: a phone call, a text of a picture of food he'd snuck off to get, or randomly tagging me in post on Facebook. Larger than that, I recognize his absence in advice and guidance. I valued his opinion and sought it often. I can only imagine what he'd be saying to me now. 

Grief for my Milo, impacted me a lot more than I thought it would. The familiarity of loss was a lot to feel again. The missed opportunity to be there for his last moments devastated me. The loss of him made me lonely. While I think this is a grief I'm still processing, I'm thankful for all that he gave me. 

I've said all this to say, grief so much depth and different for each unfortunate occasion. 

- With love, AW

Press Play: PARALYZED by Masati