There must be something strangely sacred about salt. It is in our tears and in the sea.Kahlil Gibran
Those of us who’ve suffered one or more devastating losses often describe grief as being like the ocean with pain and longing breaking over us in waves. At times, the sadness is overwhelming, and we feel as though we’re drowning. But over time, we learn to float, to keep our head above water. We begin to recognize when the big waves are coming and become better able to deal with them. Although we never escape the sadness, we learn to navigate the waters of grief and move forward into the life we create in the wake of our loss.
During my darkest days, I found that the wisdom and experience of other grievers helped me to re-enter the world. They showed me that life after the death of a beloved was possible, that I could begin to see beauty, find grace and feel hope, even joy. They helped me realize that love was all around me, and all I had to do was lean in.
At Salt Water, our community can help you find your equilibrium and begin to heal after an unbearable loss. As Barbara Kingsolver put it so beautifully in High Tide in Tucson:
What a stroke of luck. What a singular brute feat of outrageous fortune: to be born into citizenship in the animal kingdom. We love and we lose, go back to the start and do it right over again. For every heavy forebrain solemnly cataloguing the facts of a harsh landscape, there’s a rush of intuition behind it crying out: High tide! Time to move out into the glorious debris. Time to take this life for what it is.
We invite you to become part of our community. Share your story, ask a question, make a comment. We’d love to hear from you.
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Death Gone Wild
My name is Lauren, a fellow loss survivor and (in my mind) a professional rambler and motivator. On November 27, 2016, my husband completed suicide, and I became an instant widow, joining the world of the left behind. Living in the Afterloss is complicated and messy but it’s not impossible, and you don’t have to […]
Grieve In Your Own Way
Jordan didn’t want to see me cry so during his two year battle I didn’t very much. Instead, I shoved everything down. After he died, I took six months and let grief have its way with me.
Rebuilding My Soul
John Phua is the father of twin boys — Matthew and Ryan, who died at the age of two-and-a-half of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood.
Stumbling Forward
When you face the unexpected loss of your child, the grief can be more than you can bear. I found Tommy in his bed at home … dead. He was only 20 years old. You stumble forward in complete shock, not knowing what to do next. How to live life with such unbearable pain.
A Piece Of My Heart Is Missing
A major piece of my heart is missing and will forever be missing. My dad was the light of my life, and I was (and am) the definition of a daddy’s girl. I have learned to keep moving forward throughout the years, getting better year by year.
Onward
After Jack died, I connected with people who knew him — which in my case was through Facebook, email and in-person connections. I returned to Ryan House, which is the respite/hospice facility that Jack stayed at many times for respite and is also where he died.
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