Grief is a journey, and each step along the way teaches us something new about ourselves and about the world around us. 
  Grief often brings up intense emotions that can seem contradictory or opposing. We may feel numb and disconnected one moment, and then overwhelmed by sadness and despair the next. These conflicting emotions can make it difficult to know how to respond or what to do next. This is where dialectical thinking comes in. Dialectical thinking is a way of understanding two opposing ideas or points of view and finding a middle ground between them. It is a way of holding two contradictory truths in our minds at the same time. 
  Learning to think dialectically can help us to make sense of our conflicting emotions and find peace amid the pain. It can help us to see both the darkness and the light, the sorrow and the joy, the hurt, and the healing. Dialectical thinking allows us to find hope in the midst of grief and cultivate mental strength in times of adversity. 
  So what is a dialectical thinker? A dialectical thinker sees both sides of an issue, understands that there is always more than one truth, and is willing to hold two contradictory ideas in their mind simultaneously. If you are working through your grief journey, I invite you to embrace your inner dialectical thinker. Allow yourself to feel all of your emotions, even the ones that seem contradictory or opposing. Allow yourself to explore both the darkness and the light. And allow yourself to find new meaning in your grief journey. By embracing dialectical thinking, you can turn your pain into purpose and find strength in your grief journey.