Love Never Dies

Faced with losing a family member today, I set aside my scheduled blog as I consider love and loss.  I believe we never feel more alone than when a loved-one is facing a life-changing illness or has died.  Because our grief is individual, one as unique as each life we lead, there is never a time line for wading through the stages of grieving.  There is no a way to wrap emotions into a neat package and move on with life, just as there are no words to express sympathy as my heart recognizes heartache. 

Life after loss feels like a blur, but somehow it defies physics as it grinds to a halt at the same time.  The dog still must be fed and walked, the garbage taken out and the bills arrive to be paid, people return to work and life, in it's new abnormal way, goes on. We complete things on autopilot, and maybe eventually we occasionally forget, momentarily, that life is now completely changed.

Emotions are messy, and unpredictable: with grief washing over in a complete motion - an undercurrent that pulls and tumbles us about and leaves us breathless.  Loving fully is a wealth beyond compare, and while any loss often feels paralytic I am reminded that the greatest gift is to love - and to be loved in return.  It is the mark of this unconditional love that we leave behind that makes the world a brighter place, the memories we hold dear bring comfort and light.  Cherish every moment and always live out loud.