Weathering the Storm: A Journey Through Grief and Healing

Grief strikes unexpectedly, much like a powerful thunderstorm. It brings shock and numbness, leaving you unprepared for the upheaval it causes in your life.

Lightning pierces the darkness, illuminating a world forever changed—a mere shadow of what once was. Fear settles in, an ominous dread, as you grapple with the reality that nothing will ever be the same.

In the midst of this storm, you realize you’ve been holding your breath. The shock releases panic, and thunder shakes you to your core, jolting your heart back to life. A shaky breath escapes, uncertain of how to continue.

The wind howls, drowning out any words of comfort. Time stands still, and you become lost in your thoughts, oblivious to everything else.

Rain pours down, mingling with the salty tears streaming down your face as despair takes hold. You lack the energy to wipe away the tears, unable to stop the overflow of emotions.

Lightning flashes, revealing a shattered foundation—broken, jagged edges, and crater-like holes. Anger surges as you see everything you knew is now in ruins. Why can’t anyone help put it back together? Am I the only one stuck in this storm?

Your screams are swallowed by the thunder. The charged air echoes with your desperate cries: Help me! Why? This isn’t real! No!

You succumb to the bitter wind, falling to the ground, lost, overwhelmed, and alone. You want to hide, to pretend this isn’t real. Your last hope is a tearful prayer, but no one can answer your wish.

The storm leaves you broken, a shell of your former self. You hate how you feel, clinging to the notion that it’s just a bad dream. You mourn the loss of faith, of your previous self, and of innocence.

Yet, at some point, the storm subsides enough for you to slowly rise. Dizzy and unsteady, you walk on shaky ground, your foundation still marred by giant holes and jagged edges.

In the beginning, on most days, the holes swallow you whole, surrendering you to the bottom of the pit of despair; some days, you trip and fall but manage to get up; later days, you stumble through the cracks. But as time goes on, you notice you don’t fall as often. The lightning holes of grief are no longer as numerous or as large. Unbeknownst to you, your foundation is slowly healing with you. You will always encounter cracks and holes, but they won’t be as devastating as they once were.

Because once the storm is long gone, you won’t remember how you got through it. You may doubt the storm is over, but as you emerge from it, you realize you are not the same person you were before. Stronger and soaring above the storm.

“The storm may have raged, but like the eagle, I learned to rise on the winds that brought it.” - Heather Mangiaratti