FINDING YOUR WAY BACK

  Grief is a universal experience, yet deeply personal. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, the end of a meaningful relationship, or another profound hardship, the weight of sorrow can feel insurmountable. If you’ve ever felt the ache of an empty space where someone or something once was, then you know how it bleeds into every corner of your being. Life seems to pause while the world around you carries on, oblivious to the pain you’re carrying on your shoulders.

In those moments, grief isn’t just sadness. it’s a complex cocktail of emotions. Anger, confusion, guilt, and sometimes even numbness. And though we’re often told to "stay strong" or "move on," the truth is that allowing yourself to grieve is one of the most courageous acts of strength. It’s not about forgetting or replacing what you’ve lost. it’s about honouring it, feeling it, and ultimately learning to carry it differently.

For me, the hardest part of grief wasn’t the tears or the moments of pain. It was the quiet hours when the world was still, I would sit at night looking up in the endless sky, and I was left alone with my thoughts. It’s in those moments you start to confront the reality of loss. It’s raw and unfiltered, but it’s also where healing begins.

Grieving doesn’t follow a neat timeline. It’s messy and unpredictable. Sitting in the hot tub where you once laughed together, now just filled your eyes with tears. One day you’re laughing at a memory, and the next, you’re sobbing at the sight of something that reminds you of what’s gone. And that’s okay. Grief demands that we sit with our pain, as uncomfortable as it may be. It teaches us that emotions aren’t meant to be suppressed but acknowledged.

As time passes, the grief doesn’t necessarily disappear, but it does transform. You start to notice slivers of light breaking through the darkness. It might be in a kind word from a friend, a new hobby you immerse yourself in, or a quiet moment of peace where you realize you’ve made it another day. These are signs of resilience that is happening within you.

Resilience doesn’t mean you’re unaffected by hardship. It means you find ways to grow despite it. It’s about finding strength in vulnerability and courage in uncertainty. You learn to adapt, to rebuild, and most importantly, to keep moving forward. The pain you’ve endured becomes a part of your story, but it doesn’t define your future.

Through the journey of grief, I’ve discovered the importance of seeking out the positives no matter how small they may seem. Gratitude, even for the simplest things has a way of reshaping our perspective. A cup of coffee, the sun shining in the morning, a beautiful sunset lighting up the sky, or a cold sip on a hot day. It reminds us that while life may never be the same, it can still hold moments of beauty and joy.

Moving forward doesn’t mean leaving your grief behind, it means carrying it with you in a way that honours your experience and strengthens your spirit. The hardships you’ve faced shape you, but they don’t have to shatter you. In time you will find that the same heart that has been broken is capable of immense love, resilience, and growth. Day by day, step by step, brick by brick, the path continues to be built and the memories be carried on through the spirit of you.

If you’re in the depths of loss or struggle right now, know that it’s okay to grieve. It’s okay to feel. But also know that you have the strength to rise. Let your pain be the foundation for your growth. And when you’re ready, let yourself seek the spark again, no matter how faint it may seem. You’ll find it. and when you do, you’ll realize just how far you’ve come.