Grief has Taught Me

 Grief has taught me 

To honor and acknowledge love 

With supreme gratitude and urgency,

Whether that’s through new moments 

Or long-cherished memories.

Grief has taught me 

That love is our 

Most valuable currency 

May we invest in our chances  

To share it, often and willingly.

Overflow it into the hearts

Of the people we love steadily. 

Grief has taught me

That this life is marked 

By love, by its ability 

To make a home within 

Even the most broken 

Of hearts as it shines 

Into the darkest 

Seasons so vividly. 

Grief has taught me 

that when I’m ready 

I have the opportunity 

To carry loves and legacies 

Within me

To honor the tension 

Of love and loss courageously. 

A keeper of stories 

A guardian of memories,

A witness of 

Love persisting, beautifully

And boldly.

~ Liz Newman, Liz Newman Writer 

~ Art by Shawna Erback