A guest blog by Rev. Mary Jo Honiotes, Life Celebrant
Hibernate
“There’s a warm winter sun, in the window of your car, now do you know where you are?” Colorado by Singer/Poet Chuck Pyle. https://youtu.be/-GaMBE7XEEo
And, this is how it is with grief, sometimes we feel warmth and clarity and strength for the day. However, when the sun goes away here in sunny Colorado, the cold returns, the wind blows and the night is dark. These changing conditions happen in our hearts, too, while we are on our grief journey. Winter teaches us that turning inward, hibernating, reflecting, seeking warmth and slowing down is a natural rhythm in life.
How do you nurture yourself during this time? How do you love and support yourself as winter invites you to go within, reflect, seek warmth and slow down a bit?
Awakening
As we know, Groundhog Day (Feb 2), marked the middle of winter. It honors the many ancient traditions that mark this time of year. This time of year, the earth begins to awaken. Seeds begin to wake up and birds begin to mate. For all of us, a hope of warmer weather is born. On our grief journey, we have moments of awakening, too. Perhaps it’s an awakening to purpose or perspective or to our own sense of calm that at least today, things are going to be okay. We begin to move to the next stage of our life, without our loved one. Perhaps these experiences allow us to realize that we are moving forward in our journey.
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What are you awakening to on your grief journey? What is bringing you hope for a day that is calm and on purpose?
Transition
Final days of winter bring snow and rain. It is as if, in the heavens, the angels are changing shifts. We feel this movement in the last days of winter. We notice the brave green of bulbs pushing through the snow. And we are not surprised when a big snow storm comes as if winter is saying goodbye and offering a gift to the earth as it exits. The wind is especially important to the exit of winter, too. Our grief journey can be like this every day. We feel big changes and realize life is always moving forward. Sometimes it’s moving too fast…sometimes the movement helps us see more, reach out more, and accept more. The wind can remind us that the heavens carry our memories and stories of our loved one and that they remain alive this way.
How do you feel when life is moving really fast? Are you caring for yourself during this time? How does change support you on your grief journey? You can visit sites like https://www.houseofjoppa.com/ and see some religious merchandise to help you with your journey.
