I met an older man a while back who told me about grief. You see at the time I was grieving and felt swallowed by it. At times I wondered if it would ever relent. Other times I decided it was something I must learn to live with. No escape ever.

When he understood my feelings he relayed the thoughts and words he once heard.

He said, “Grief is like the ocean after a storm. The waves are high and powerful. You cannot enter the water without being knocked down and almost drowned. As the storm slowly diminishes the waves grow smaller so in time you can again enter the water safely. But at anytime the waves can unexpectedly rise and knock you down again. Grief never leaves us. It does become a thing we can live with, but expect it to show its strength as the ocean does when something, or someone stirs it up.”

So I live with my grief. Some days I can almost not feel it. It’s quiet in the background. Other days, it gets triggered and memories of what I lost are unforgiving.

Peace be with you.