Remembering, Awe & Gratitude

I’m so glad I woke up today. It wasn’t easy. I fought it for many hours.

Because I woke up I got to remember the many acts of generosity and love I experienced this year in grief. Jenny’s gentle tips helping me figure out how to live amidst the chaos in our old apartment filled with boxes. Erica’s sweet encouragement as she helped me purge clothing. Adrienne’s fearlessness organizing in the smelly basement. Ariela’s ambitious cooking. Chris’s steadfast offers to drive me to social events.

Grief teaches us to allow others to offer their gifts. It reminds us to receive. While it can be a lonely experience, it’s also fortunate that we don’t all go through acute grief at the same time-this allows us to show up for another in these meaningful moments of need.

I gathered a group of friends, both old and new, for a communal grief ritual. It reminded me of the deep hunger for such communal spaces. Friends responded to reflections I shared, marveling at my healing, newfound strength, and empowerment. One described me as channeling insights from a portal. Another marveled at the rarity of honoring these types of milestones with friends. In our society there are limited ritual spaces or occasions we deem worthy of gathering and honoring.

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