A beautiful day in March is a bit of a challenge for me; it was my husband’s birthday. He died 15 years ago. Today is a bittersweet reminder of our deep joy in a sacred union of souls in a marriage that lasted decades.
I say bittersweet because this grief I feel is not a gloomy emotion. I say challenging because, honestly, I’d rather feel all sunshiney and gay, not sad. But sad is what I feel with a growing acceptance of feeling this way, just for the moment.
Joy lives concealed in grief.
Rumi
So, where’s the joy?
Joy is found within the sadness. Think about this for a moment. When Craig died, counselors, clergy, friends, books, and teachers said, “You grieve to the extent that you loved.”
So here I am feeling sad. And there is joy within this sadness. The joy comes from knowing and remembering—as if I could ever forget—the love, the sweet, beautiful unconditional love we shared. This joy has been as immediate and as celebrated as the sadness.
Yes, you read that right, celebrated.
Within the sadness and joy, I have the sweet opportunity to feel life’s magnificent diversity. Love, joy, grief, and beauty are all part of life’s ever-changing landscape; we are in the middle of presence, experiencing it all.
So, jump into the flow and feel the despair of sadness and the ecstasy of joy. Celebrate your dear human soul and all you’re feeling and experiencing right now. It means you are alive and the possibilities are unlimited.
When we place our awareness on the heart we lift the veil between the known and unknown. Here we begin our journey of integrating our Humanity and Divinity.
Lee Byrd