Grief, Joy Tears and Laughter

There are times of great celebration in life; birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and for many of us    Christmas (or whatever you would like to call it). But even with great joy and laughter will be moments of grief and tears; perhaps discomfort in delivering a baby, sleepless nights that lead to tears, holidays with
lost luggage, lizards crawling everywhere in your tropical paradise
or even your first Christmas without a loved one.

The same thing happens in times of grief. Yes, there are more tears and more grief, but there can also be great moments too. Joy and laughter; reminiscing about great times, remembering something your loved one did that made you laugh hysterically, seeing family or friends you haven’t seen in a long time,
getting a message from a someone far away, or a neighbour showing up with your favorite dessert.
These moments can bring joy and laughter, even in the times of your deepest grief.

So, I invite you to reach out to the grieving, especially at times like Christmas, when grief can be felt
more deeply. Send them a message, call, have tea, mail a card, shovel their driveway or listen to them
tell a great story about the person they miss. Do whatever you can to “Just Show Up”
for the grieving, the lonely, and those who are struggling.

And if it is you that is grieving, choose to believe that your heart will heal. It will never be the same,
it may be battered and scarred, but it will heal. Seek out those moments where you feel joy
in remembering or even try to have a laugh. It’s OK. Grief is hard and allowing yourself
some of these lighter moments will help ease that pain.

Dogs are not people, but they are cherished family members. This will be our first Christmas without a dog. Strange. A little empty. But we are looking at funny pictures, laughing at the things they did,
like sleeping under the tree, chewing presents or removing Christmas ornaments from the tree.
We will remember our beloved pets and all the happiness they brought.

I wish each and every one of you much joy and laughter in your life and
know that we are​ always here for you.