Most of us have lost someone in our lifetime, a parent, a sibling, a child, a spouse, or a loving friend. Grief is expressed in many ways. We sometimes feel shock, there is a feeling of loss that affects the pit of our stomach. Sometimes we are angry or we feel “spaced out” because the loss is forever. In the midst of this loss we may even have trouble believing our loved one is gone and, in some cases, we feel that we too would like to go to where our loved one is.
The depth of our grief and the length of time we grieve is not quantifiable. It is said that grief is the last act of love that we must give to those who are dear to our hearts. Where there is deep grief, there is also deep love.
Scripture deals somewhat with grief that we can relate to. Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus, he also went to a quiet place when he learned of the death of John the Baptist, his cousin. Mary stood at the base of the cross watching death roll over her son and then had to go away, leaving the body on the cross. No one can take away the grief of the soul. “Grief is the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve” stated by the late Rabbi Earl Grollman.
No one can remove grief from our lives. It is, in a way, as the story of the Prodigal Son tells us; the father is waiting with open arms to throw his arms around you to give you a kiss and a feast. Healing is slow, but in time we can move forward. Through the years there will be moments of sadness, reminders of a loving relationship. God wants us to accept these times as symbols of a relationship that will always remain in your heart. Grief is good