Grief is like the weather

Understanding grief through clouds, storms, and sunshine.

I’ve often thought that grief is very much like the weather. Ever changeable and often without warning.

You may encounter sunshine, rainfall and thunderstorms all in a single day. Or they may extend over several weeks.

Knowing that the sun will shine again is reassuring.

There are days that are peppered with fierce thunderstorms and turbulent lightning causing you to experience profound loneliness and a sense of being beyond comfort. Umbrellas are of little use in this weather. You can hardly wait for the sun to shine again so that you may escape the brute force of the storm.

The rainfall is quieter but more continuous. You need an umbrella on these days to help you navigate the raindrops. When the rain subsides and the sun shines, a feeling of relief washes over you as your world begins to look brighter.

Cloudy days are gloomy, feeling as though you’re on the edge of a precipice. Will the sun peek through, giving you a modicum of contentedness? Or do the clouds follow you? You are grateful, however, that you are no longer in the storm's eye. While the clouds prevail, all you can do is wait for the sun’s brilliance and warmth to give you solace, if only for a moment. Knowing, though, that these moments will turn into hours and days.

Weather is unpredictable, just like grief. The forecast may tell you what to expect, but it can be wrong. You can wake up to pouring rain or a quick thunderstorm passing through. Thankfully, you’ve learned over the past year that the sun will shine again. And again. And again.

Gratitude.