This is a time of grief. I am feeling my own grief, the grief of people close to me, and the collective grief. Some folks are aware that they are feeling grief, others are having grief responses but don’t know how to identify what is going on. I don’t think there is any way to be human right now and awake to the human experience and not experiencing grief.

We can feel grief AND have other feelings as well. I can have days filled with gratitude and also have intense episodes of grief at the same time. If you’re able to face and accept some of the grief you are feeling, it will likely help. Might be uncomfortable, but could serve your overall well-being. There are many practices for being with grief.

I pray we are gentle with ourselves and each other as much as possible. Grief can be extremely disorienting, adding to the mix fear, anxiety and uncertainty — we are all going to have moments of not being our best. I pray we lean into one another with care and compassion and are as gentle and forgiving with ourselves and each other as possible. And I pray that we love… grief is the pain that comes from loving… but for me the joys and pleasure of loving so profoundly outweigh the pain. <3 <3 <3

I found a lot of valuable insight in this podcast, David Kessler and Brené Brown on Grief and Finding Meaning. I’ve found other episodes of Brené Brown‘s podcast supportive and insightful as well.