The Gift of Grief

*The Gift of Grief*

Death takes away. That's all there is to it. But Grief gives back. By
experiencing it, we are not simply eroded by pain. Rather, we become
larger human beings, more aware, more compassionate, and more able to
help others. Grief is powerful alchemy. It plunges us into sorrow and
forces us to face the finiteness of life, the mightiness of death, and
the meaning of our existence on this earth. It does more than enable us
to change; it demands it.

The way we change is up to you, and it is possible to be forever bowed
by grief. But it is also possible to be enlarged, to find new
direction, and to allow the memory of the beloved person we have lost to
live on within us, not as a monument to misery but as a source of
strength, love, and inspiration. By acting on our grief, we can
eventually find ourselves a place of peace and purposefulness. It is my
belief that all grievers, no matter how intense their pain, no matter
how rough the terrain across which they must travel...can eventually
find that place within their hearts.

by TCF (The Compassionate Friends)

Inland Empire, San Bernardino CA