“To live is to be slowly born.”


Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Sunflower Seeds

Celebrating Everyday Spirituality

Grief’s Varied Emotions

This morning I went to the funeral Mass of a religious sister. In the afternoon I traveled an hour for the visitation of a brother to one of our SND sisters. There did not seem to be many expressions of grief at either place. Those emotions have probably already occurred and will occur again in the quiet that follows the funerals and luncheons. Then the friends and relatives will experience the many different feelings of grief: panic or helplessness, worry or anxiety, fear, anger, guilt, failure, loneliness, emptiness or hopelessness, sadness or despair. Grief may also feel like relief, happiness, gratitude; but don’t feel guilty about these emotions. Emotions aren’t good or bad, positive or negative. They just are. They come unexpectedly, often at an unusual time. Almost anything has the power to elicit grief. You’ve probably experienced this. A flavor of ice cream, a song, a smell of soap or bread, an advertisement, a photo, a receipt left in an old jacket, an envelope with an 8-cent stamp. Let these times of momentary grief, when the tears sting and the throat catches reconnect you with your loved one. Let them also help you to let go of your grief in some small way. Letting go of grief is not letting go of your loved one.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Blog Posts

What are the next best steps for any group whether the universal Church, a government meeting, a town hall, a parent-teacher gathering, a trustees meeting, or a family discussion? I have no degree in human relations or psychology, but I have observed the caterpillar. The caterpillar is unpretentious. It moves

We Sisters of Notre Dame will soon be meeting in Columbus in person or via zoom. As I wonder what will happen there, I imagine—expect—to see the influence of Pope Francis. Over the past several years we have studied Laudato Si’ and have made integrity of creation part of our

Meet Sr. Valerie

As Sisters of Notre Dame, Mary is a model for us as we seek to experience and express God’s goodness and provident care in the unfolding of each day. Join us on the journey!

Subscribe to Blog

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Loading

Upcoming Events

Weekend retreat at Villa Maria Education and Spirituality Center, Pulaski, PA
October 11-13, 2024
Retreat with the Sisters of Loretto, Nerinx, KY
September 8-13, 2024
Retreat at Lial Renewal Center, Whitehouse, OH
August 11-18, 2024
Retreat at Heartland Center for Spirituality, Great Bend, KS
April 14-19, 2024
First Friday Club in Youngstown, Ohio
April 4, 2024