Whatever causes you grief, let yourself grieve. It is healing and necessary to feel the pain of the loss, whether we understand the fullness of its dimensions or not.

Perhaps the grief seems misplaced or remote, but in truth we may be grieving a deeper change that this incident only symbolizes. We are grieving what was once possible, what we once took for granted. We need to grieve to unhook our attachments to what was. We need to grieve so that we can, when we are ready, make something new.

And if something does not cause you grief, but it does for others, that is okay too. You can be the one who listens and supports this time, who cares and witnesses while they do their work. And hopefully when it is your time to grieve, others will be available to you.

Grief is deeply painful and we can at times feel lost in it. Yet grief is also the cool well of refreshing water when we have been moving through an arid and hot land. Sinking into the grief refreshes the soul, makes us ready to create something new.

We are in dire need of grieving the old and embracing the changes that have been thrust upon us. We don’t have to like the changes that are occurring and being demanded, but fighting them is a waste of our power. Grieve, remember love, and still make time for joy.

Anthony Rella is a therapist in Seattle. Read more on his website: https://anthonyrella.com/