Re-considering Gratitude in Grief
During grief and loss, so many memories and feelings swirl through our days. These emotions can overwhelm anything and everything we want to do during the day or night. I have learned over time that one way to place a bit of space in our grieving process is to find just a spot of gratitude somewhere in our lives. I can sometimes find these little pearls of peace and kindness by finding memories of my community, friends, family, and smiles throughout my life experiences.
One way to access these emotions is to add the prefix "RE-" to many of our words for soothing and gratitude filled thoughts:
Re-member: Kindness that we are members of an all one collective of human beings.
Re-mind: Ourselves that our past offers gifts as well as challenges, so steeping in gratitude helps heal.
Re-view: The past with current eyes for enhanced vision and insight to growth.
Re-newal: A time to embrace the wild changes occurring around us and the new chances for healing ourselves and the planet.
Re-generative: Repair to the earth as a macrocosm of the microcosm of our human selves.
So consider a "RE" word when you feel stuck in an emotion and want a little reprieve.