Grief and loss are unfortunately a normal part of the human experience. For many of us when we experience adverse experiences that create shock and sadness withdrawing from life may be the only way we feel we can cope. By withdrawing many of us mistakenly believe we can insulate and protect ourselves from the negatives of the world. However, instead of isolating ourselves during these stressful times it is vitally important that we call upon the people we trust the most in our lives, the very people who genuinely care about our welfare.
For those of us who can share our grief and pain openly with a loved one or trusted friend - our burden is lessened. Sharing our grief and seeing it from another’s perspective often helps us to process our inner anguish more easily. Although there may be times when we feel guilty or self-centred for downloading our pain on to someone else, in a similar situation we undoubtably would offer the same support to them.
Sharing our pain can be helpful in breaking down our defences too. By outwardly acknowledging our vulnerability and sharing it honestly, closer relationships with others can develop. When our life as we’ve known it is fractured or threatened, we become both saddened and refreshed at the same time. It is now that we discover who is most willing to support us through life. And as so often happens, the people who stepped in to offer their support may not be the ones we expected to be there for us. Through this experience we often learn to trust more in our own inner strength and resilience too, while trusting the universal wisdom of life itself.
Unfortunately, we often fail to realise that in sharing our pain with others we offer them the opportunity to care and to be of service. After all, how often do we derive joy and satisfaction from seeing how we have helped others during their darkest hours? Why then would we deprive others of this same feeling of satisfaction at being of service, even if only in some minor way? We may in fact be the messenger the cosmos has directed to support this other person’s journey. Through sharing our fears and pain, joys, and disappointments with another person, we open ourselves up to manifest the universe's gifts of wisdom and loving care.
Of course, life can be, and often is unfair; no one is immune to the uncertainty of the future; never more evident than in these current unpredictable and troubling times. Although we may be suffering greatly, we cannot always know what others are also going through can we? Everyone has their own story and their own challenges that they may have to face and work to overcome each day. Grief and loss come in many guises and it is our duty as honourable people to strive to understand and offer to others what empathy and compassion we can.
Getting through such difficult periods can be challenging even for the most resilient individuals. Yet, fortunately most of us have an untapped deep reservoir of strength within us which is too often overshadowed by our fears and pain. If we can accept and open our mind to the support being offered to us, we are more able to tap into that inner strength. I am so grateful that during my cancer journey, where I was faced with significant changes in my lifestyle, I was able to accept when I need it most, the support offered to me by significant people in my life.
By sending our message of hope, love, and light to those who are finding life difficult we all of us can in our own way offer support to others. Remember it is not a weakness to accept help and encouragement from others in our darkest of times. We are all on this beautiful planet for a reason – to care, love and support each other. I know, if we can extend empathy for other’s and share our love in our day to day life, we can overcome whatever the universe directs our way.