Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Inward peace and harmony


"Let tears flow of their own accord:
their flowing is not inconsistent
with inward peace and harmony."

Seneca

Grief, over the death of a loved one, is expressed in the verses of Ecclesiastes 3:4 - "a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance..." It is sometimes difficult to think of grief as a time to laugh or dance. I believe that those who depart from this life must understand when we laugh and have memories of the wonderful times we have experienced with those who have left us. Grief has many stages. One of those is stages is the tears. They are healing when we allow them to happen.

The ocean reminds me of the flow of life and the flow of tears that come when we lose someone we love. The tears come in waves, sometimes calm, slow and silent; other times raging, wild and loud. And life goes on just like the waves of the ocean, continually changing.

Photo: Seagull at Lighthouse Beach 3/9/08

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

So beautiful, Pati. Thanks for sharing this powerful and meaningful insight about sorrow. I think, too, that the deeper our ties -- our emotional bonds of love, joy, etc. -- the more textured and deep our grief can be. It's just so important to wade through it and honor it, as you are.

Now, another hug because I care about you and because I feel so honored to know someone so amazing!

Jane said...

I posted seagulls on the water in my slice today as well. Thank you for your insightful thoughts.
~jane S

GirlGriot said...

I think being able to embrace the laughter and joy that memories of a lost loved one bring is essential to moving through your grief. My thoughts stay with you on your journey, Pati.
--Stacie