grief /ɡrēf/ defined:
noun: grief
Deep sorrow, especially caused by someone's death. Example; "she was overcome with grief"
informal - trouble or annoyance. Example: "we were too tired to cause any grief"
This is a simple definition for grief, one that describes what grief might look like from the outside. It’s kind of like trying to explain what love is or how to find your life’s purpose. Grief is often un-explainable in words or simple context.
We are in the beginning of what might arguably be the most celebrated time of the year in America. With Nationally recognized holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas underway. I realize that the holiday season is often very difficult for so many due to loss and grief. As I reflect on all that I am grateful for this year, grief is one of them. Every year comes with an Eb and flow of tears for me, this year is no exception. My tears are very often, tears of gratitude and joy. I look at my life daily and am so happy with who I’ve become as a human being. Sometimes, my tears are from a place of deep sadness, from losses I’ve suffered throughout my lifetime. I’ve read about the five to seven stages of grief in hopes that it would help me to better process my own. I do believe in the stages of grief; I don’t believe they always happen in the order listed, nor do I think that people always complete each stage. In fact, I think many of us get stuck in one of the stages.
There is an art to grieving, a way of creating a beautiful mess from the inside out. Grief has been a beautiful tool for my growth and healing. It has afforded me the opportunity to create some of my most poignant art pieces and essays. Grief has helped me to examine what and who is most important to me in my life. Grief has offered me the opportunity to be still in moments when I want to distract myself from my emotions. When I really think back on my life, loss which sometimes turns into grief is where I’ve always gained the most wisdom.
Grief is a catalyst to change when we allow it to move through us in the way that it needs to. It is not something that I ask for in my prayers or quiet meditations. It’s a process I am still learning to navigate through daily and quite honestly, sometimes I trip over myself in the process. On my journey as an artist, I like to think that my emotions are one of the driving forces behind my creative process and the works that I produce. I think that’s true of most artists. Grief, as painful as it may be has been a necessary process for me to go through again and again in order to help me grow. If you or someone you know is going through a loss, I want you to know that you are not alone. Your feelings are valid and you deserve to experience joy again. I’ve found so much joy in honoring my lost loved ones through my life and my work. I hope you are able to do the same.
