I grieve, but I am not grief


Death is a funny thing, and it does a real number on your heart…

Sometimes you see it as a blip on the horizon,
Sometimes you see it as an iceberg charging for your ship…

Sometimes you see it as the elephant in the room that everyone’s trying to avoid,
Sometimes you see it as overwhelming the space so strongly that even the skies feel claustrophobic…

Sometimes you see it as reminding you to look for the joy in everything,
Sometimes you see it as plunging you into the bottomless depths of immeasurable grief…

Sometimes you see grief as just an everyday element like breathing,
Sometimes you look for the days (anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, etc.) as a reminder to grieve and that you haven’t forgotten them…

Sometimes you pretend to be okay, because people aren’t comfortable with death,
Sometimes all you want to do is remember them, talk about them, cry about losing them, and maybe smile at a happy memory…

Sometimes I want to remind people that making space for grief and loss does not mean wanting to live in eternal hurt and pain,
Sometimes I want to remind people that I grieve for my Father (verb), but I am not grief itself (noun).