I was thinking the other day about grief and the things I've said to various people going through a difficult time. I came up with a list that vaguely resembled good advice:
-Be present in the day
-Respond to the world around you
-Take care of your needs
-Express your thoughts, feelings, and emotions
-Allow others to make you smile
-Lean on whatever will support you
-Some days you'll feel great, and other days will be a new low
-Keep in mind that one day the ground will feel solid again
As I look over the list now, I'm struck by a thought - this doesn't really apply to just grief. For the most part, the things that move us on and move us forward through a difficult time aren't all that dissimilar from the things that we should do during a normal time.
It does seem like we forget these things, though, for whatever reason. Maybe we are simply too distracted by various goals, ambitions, and pursuits to make time for the things that don't directly contribute to our desired ends. A healthy level of focus is all well and good but I think taking a few minutes each day to consider how to recharge will prove to be a small investment that pays for itself many times over throughout a lifetime.
