“Sorting out the precious”

What is your life in the state of grief?

A jumble of the past we long for, the future we reject and the present that does nothing but remind us of our loss.

When a change does come - be it ever so slight or insignificant - a change that gives some measure of hope - it is time to take stock of just what parts of our life needs to be taken with us.

That evaluation Is the topic of today’s episode. From the essays Volume 7 - “Bridges” - written on March 10, 2020 - day 211 of the journey - this is essay #13 - “Packing”

“The dawn of a new era”

In grief we exist in the present - as distasteful as that reality is.

The past a narcotic to relive what has been lost - the future an unwanted bother.

Then a day came when the hostility and disdain for the future ended. It was a time that was inevitable yet unwanted. But with the light now shining into the world of grief the change that has come is undeniable.

That light begins to shine in today’s episode. From the essays Volume 7 - “Bridges” - written on March 9, 2020 - day 210 of the journey - this is essay #12 - “Cease Fire”

“One incredible experience”

Any change in the distressing state of grief is cause for celebration.

When that change came in the most unexpected way - the results were stunning. This episode reflects on those amazing events.

From Volume 7 - “Bridges” - written on March 8, 2020 - day 209 of the journey - this is Essay #11 - “One Week”

“The only way out is to let someone in”

We are alone in grief. Our situations unique - situations that often put others off, make them reluctant to approach us.

How can we ever escape such a plight? The answer we seek may not come from where we are - we may need someone else to enter our world. Someone to take a step where few even consider or try.

We examine this reality in today’s episode. From the essays Volume 7 - “Bridges” - written on March 3, 2020, 2020 - day 204 of the journey - this is essay #10 - “Rescue mission”

“You never know when it is coming”

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for - things not seen. Yet faith in grief is even more difficult to experience…until that day when faith is realized.

That stunning moment is the topic of today’s episode. From Volume 7 - “Bridges” - written on March 2, 2020 - day 203 of the journey - this is Essay #9 - “The Answer”

“The Constant Struggle”

As we live our days in grief - eventually we are faced with another reality we do not want to face. Although so much of what has been lost is so close to us - we do begin to lose our recollections of the day-to-day life we had.

There are no answers at this point - only surviving the contentions that appear as we live each day.

We discuss that contention in today’s episode. From the essays Volume 7 - “Bridges” - written on February 29, 2020 - day 197 of the journey - This is essay #8 - “Forget-Me-Not”

“It’s a part of you.until it isn’t”

Music is a part of our lives in so many ways. In this grief journey, the author experienced an unusual period of time in which the music in his life stopped.

In today’s episode - originally released as Facing Grief the Podcast episode 16 on November 25, 2020 - we will hear of this paradoxical time when the music just was not in him anymore - despite it being all around him.

From Volume 7 - “Bridges” - written on February 29, 2020 - day 201 of the journey - This is Essay #7 - “The Music”

“Life with a hole in it”.

Longing for what has been lost is a constant in grief. Contending with the idea that you will somehow have to live with such a deep loss is a struggle we cannot face by ourselves.

We look at the struggle in today’s episode. From the essays Volume 7 - “Bridges” - written on day 197 of the journey - This is essay #6 - “Missing”

“Sometimes there is no way out - without help”.

The days in grief present a seemingly endless stream of emptiness. As much as we might try to remove ourselves from this trap in some way - often we just cannot achieve that goal.

It is a part of this reality - a reality that we know will change at some point - not just today.

The struggle is the topic of today’s episode - written on February 24, 2020 - day 196 of the journey - in volume 7 of the essays - “Bridges” - this is essay #5 - “Gridlock”

“Powerful. Enduring. Painful.”

Some are connected to things - some are not. For those of us that are, in grief this presents a new challenge. How do we survive without those connections we have lost?

There are - as in grief - no easy answers - only living through each day as we struggle to exist.

We will examine this in today’s episode.

From essays volume 7, “Bridges”. Written on February 21, 2020 - day 193 of the journey - this is essay #4 - “Connections”.