“All the art of living lies in the fine mingling of letting go and holding on.” -Havelock Ellis
Every once in awhile an idea shakes a personally held belief, shakes it to the core. Listening to a recent presentation from Amy Florian of Corgenius was that idea. Until then, grief and death were like peanut butter and jelly. They went together. One, not without the other. Her genuis presents grief as much broader and far reaching. Grief and death, like peanut butter and jelly, may be dance partners. But, there are other partners.
Grief, often profound grief, can be found anywhere something that was a major part of our lives, through some type of trigger or transition, is no longer that major part. Death is one, probably the big one, but only one. As we can see now, it can be so many things:
- Moving homes
- Changing jobs
- Divorcing of family or friends
- Retiring
- Losing long held friendships
- Disability causing a lack of mobility
- Damage from natural disasters
- Disease diagnosis
Knowing grief is more common and more broad has great implications. It impacts our lives, our loves ones, our professions, our world. It’s been said that life moves from problem, problem, problem, CRISIS, problem, problem, problem, CRISIS, etc. It’s how we handle those situations that determines the quality of our lives. We must realize grief is all around us. And, that’s OK.
Be a little kinder. Listen a little more. Share more freely. Be open to helping. Be open to expanding. Expand your love, your heart, your willingness to be. Open your perspective.
