Grief Graffiti

“Do not resist the pain. Allow it to be there. Surrender to the grief, despair, fear, loneliness, or whatever form the suffering takes. Witness it without labelling it mentally. Embrace it. Then see how the miracle of surrender transmutes deep suffering into deep peace.”

― Eckhart Tolle

It’s been a minute since I wrote here. I am trying to honor my grief & it’s ebbs & flows, not forcing myself to do anything that I’m not feeling. This is a huge shift for me, as I am the person who always pushes through & forces myself to do the things I don’t want to. Now if I feel like resting, I rest. If I feel like watching a show, I watch it. If I feel like going for a walk or calling a friend I do it. Obviously there are going to be times when I have to do something I’m not “feeling”, but I’ve found that leaning into my grief, acknowledging it and respecting the corresponding feeling is what works best for me.

“My grandma once gave me advice:

When times are tough, keep moving in small steps. Do what you have to do, but a little at a time. Don’t think about the future, not even about what might happen tomorrow. Do the Dishes . Kick off the dust. Write a letter. Make a mince.

Do you see?

You’re going forward step by step. Make a step and stop. Take a rest. Compliments yourself. take another step And then another one.

You won’t notice it, but your steps will get bigger and bigger.

And the time will come when you will be able to think about the future without crying. ”

-Elena Mikhalkova, The room of ancient keys