It is not often given in a noisy world to come to the places of great grief and silence. —Sarah Orne Jewett—
Many of us live with energy and gusto, tackling our lives like wrestling partners, busy earning a living,caring for our homes and families, serving our communities. Are we forgetting something? Often, we forget to nourish our spirits at the deep well of grief and silence. Grief is a nourishing emotion, Because in grieving we experience fully the inevitable losses of our lives. Only after grieving can we heal.
Only after knowing fully the dimensions of our losses can we summon the vitality to continue our lives. Parents, friends, children, trusted leaders, die and cannot be replaced. Their loss may have deep meaning for us; we deserve to take the time and care to learn what that meaning may be. Grief can change people; we may become more detached, quieter, more feeling, more deeply appreciative of life’s gifts. One of these gifts is silence—the silence of tranquility. Through plumbing our feelings, we may come to be at peace. Not all gifts are gaiety, love, joy. Let me respect the gifts of grief and silence, that I may learn from them.