I lost one of my younger brothers 10 years ago weeks before Christmas. And the holidays have never really been the same since. I used to think growth meant not being sad about it anymore. And now, I think it's more of letting myself be sad and resting in the fact that the sadness doesn't "ruin" the joy. Joy and sadness don't have to compete with each other. They don't cancel each other out. There's space for both of them to be. And now in the moments when I experience that sadness, I'm just grateful that I also feel the joy instead of simply being overwhelmed with grief.
Thanks for this post. To sit with and witness pain. My mom died 3 months ago. I knew this winter break I needed to just sit with my grief. It has felt so tender and sweet.
This is so beautiful and insightful. Thanks for helping me see in a new way.
I lost one of my younger brothers 10 years ago weeks before Christmas. And the holidays have never really been the same since. I used to think growth meant not being sad about it anymore. And now, I think it's more of letting myself be sad and resting in the fact that the sadness doesn't "ruin" the joy. Joy and sadness don't have to compete with each other. They don't cancel each other out. There's space for both of them to be. And now in the moments when I experience that sadness, I'm just grateful that I also feel the joy instead of simply being overwhelmed with grief.
Thank you, Savannah, for this invaluable meditation. It helped me.
Thanks for this post. To sit with and witness pain. My mom died 3 months ago. I knew this winter break I needed to just sit with my grief. It has felt so tender and sweet.