It is natural to grieve and cry over losses ... but we can also find relief on the other side of the tears. (Laurie Glass)
Chronic illness and chronic pain take many things from us. Experiencing such loss is hard, so it is natural to grieve and cry over these losses. Ultimately, though, loss can also pave the way for healing, allowing us to find a way forward and see things from a slightly different perspective. There is no deadline for grieving, so we can take the time we need, but we can also find a bit of relief on the other side of the tears.
Veil of Drops
The drops
keep coming,
falling,
splattering.
One loss,
then another,
and another,
until it’s all I can see.
Only rain.
The veil of drops
obstructs the light
and seals in the pain.
I’m soaked with grief.
Showers of gloom
and bitter anguish
overtake me.
I’ve lost too much,
more than I can bear.
I inhale only sorrow.
I’m tempted to concede
and let the drops wash me away.
I’m numb as I wait,
and wait,
and wait,
until the showers become a drizzle,
and a bit of darkness
gives way to a glimpse of light.
I hold on,
breathing,
enduring,
listening,
waiting,
watching for the veil to lift.
Finally,
no more falling,
and the fog gradually wisps away.
Nothing has returned to me,
and all else appears altered
from what it was before,
but my mourning
is slowly melting in the modest glow,
and I can drink a bit of sweetness again.
The Light reaches in
to soothe, caress, and reassure me.
I embrace and cherish
this brush with hope.
I bathe in the healing, lulling breeze,
breathe a whiff of this refreshing bouquet,
and allow the Light to illumine my path.
Answers still elude me,
but with the veil lifted,
the drops at bay,
and the darkness dissolving,
I can say farewell to what was,
and slowly open my heart
to a healing balm,
to a new way.
While more drops
will surely fall,
for the moment,
in this soft place to land,
I feel secure,
resting in the sun’s rays,
and savoring the Father’s love.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
- Have you allowed yourself to grieve what chronic illness has taken from you?
- Consider writing a poem or journal entry about your grieving process.
- What is one way you feel you are ready to move forward in this changed life?
INVITATION
If you would like to try a creative way to express your grief or other challenges related to living with a chronic illness, consider the following Chronic Joy printables for inspiration:
Laurie Glass
Staff Writer
Laurie holds a master's degree in Christian counseling and is the author of Coping with ME/CFS and Expressing Your Grief: Through Poems and Prayers. Many of her poems and articles have appeared in print and online. In 2019, she won the Open Medicine Foundation poetry contest. Laurie loves using her writing to encourage others.
Metaphor • A Bridge Between Pain & Understanding
Metaphors spark new understandings by helping us express the difficult parts of our stories in more easily accessible ways. They also help us explain a situation with which others may have little or no experience.
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