Enduring the Loss

     Hello Friends. This week I have been thinking a lot about loss. Yesterday was the 14 year anniversary of the loss of my daughter, Chelsea. And so, my mind has been drawn to this idea of what it means to lose those we love, but not only those people we love, but places and things. I have been wrestling with the idea of change and of letting go, and of how we endure, move through, and even thrive with loss. 

    You see, loss is a part of life, at least on this side of eternity. Death and decay are a constant force in this world. And they are forces we were never made to live with. When God created this world, everything was supposed to live on eternally. It was perfect. There was no pain and loss. But after the fall of mankind, the introduction of sin and death brought with it the continual pain of loss in our lives in some fashion or another. (Genesis 1-3)

    I am young by most standards, and yet I have suffered the loss of numerous family members, close friends gone too early, pets, jobs, relationships, and places and things I have loved. Each loss takes a toll on us, and I believe that grief is a healthy and necessary process to our healing. However, after we have suffered the pain of loss, we are left with a choice to make. We can grieve what was and become bitter and shriveled, refusing to move on, closing ourselves off to the world. Or, we can choose to accept loss, move through the process of grief, celebrate what was and remain open and loving to the world and what will be. Natalie Goldberg says it this way. "If we look at the state of the world, shutting down seems logical. But to truly live we have no choice but to keep unfolding, even in the face of devastation." (The Great Spring) 

    And so, I want to encourage you. If you have suffered loss, of a loved one, of a dream, of a way of life, as so many have in these last few years especially, don't shut yourself off. Don't give up. Keep moving forward. Celebrate what was, remember and reflect, but keep your eyes on the horizon. The temptation is to believe the whispers that everything good has died, that the best days are behind us, and only pain lies ahead. But when we spend all our time looking back, we forget that there are beautiful places on the road ahead. We become stuck in the dense fog and mired in our own sadness. We must look forward. We must cling to our belief that the future is better than the past. But even this comes with the realization that there will be more loss and pain ahead. And even so, the journey is still worth it. 

    Today, reflect on and celebrate those people and seasons you have loved. But don't forget to move forward, with arms and heart wide open to the people and places that will be. The best is yet to come, and as long as you are still here, there is more life to live. Celebrate what was, embrace what is, and look forward to what will be. I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.L.W.