My
dear Friends,
As
Spring transitions into Summer, once again we are encouraged by the warmth of
the sun to open our frozen hearts to the possibilities of hope.
There
is an ancient fable about an argument between the sun and the wind. They had often quarreled about who was the
most powerful. Finally, the sun
persuaded the wind to a challenge.
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| illustration by ~anaffonseca |
“There
is a man walking on the road with a cloak about his shoulders,” the sun
offered. “Whichever of us can first
cause him to remove his cloak will be proven the most powerful.”
The
arrogant wind rose to the occasion. “I, of course, am stronger than you, so I
will easily remove the man’s cloak.”
As the wind began to
blow, the man clutched his garment around his shoulders. Then the wind blew more fiercely and the man
drew his cloak ever more tightly around himself. At last, the angry wind attacked the poor man
till he was nearly blown off the road, but the man resisted by doggedly
protecting himself even more firmly with his guardian cloak.
Finally, in disgust, the
wind admitted his failure, but he mockingly challenged the sun (whom he
believed to be impotent and weak) to produce any results, either.
Gradually and ever-so
gently, the sun began to shine down on the man as he trod along the path.
Soon, the warm rays of
the sun began to invade his bones, and in a short time, the man released his
tight grip on the cloak. In just a few
minutes, the cloak was open, welcoming the sun’s gentle and gracious presence. Finally, the man removed the cloak completely
and spread it on the grass next to the path, as he lay down to rest and bask in
the pleasant warmth.
Light
and warmth and gentleness will always vanquish ferocity and aggression if only
we have the patience and tenacity to hang on!
Grief
has been our fierce wind, but the gentle, pleasant sun rays can warm and
comfort the most resistant heart.
Look
now at the flowers, the grass, the blueness of the sky, the white, fluffy
clouds and see HOPE. Smell the freshness of new life and be reminded that
nothing is really lost – only changed for awhile. Warmth and chill may often trade places in
the dance of life, but HOPE will always call the steps.
For
those whose pain is fresh and raw, it’s hard to imagine there will ever be a
better time, but the testimony of veteran grievers can be an
encouragement. Like the hard and frozen
ground of winter, suffering softens with the gentle rain and sunshine of spring
– not necessarily on the time-line of the actual seasons, but with gradual
healing.
Those
who have crawled through the broken glass of grief bear witness to the truth
that the excruciating journey is eventually through
as the shards diminish and even disappear.
We are left with our scars, but the initial pain no longer has power
over our lives.
It
is in summer that we see the results of our late-winter and early spring
planting and investing of emotional efforts.
Grief
is hard work, but when we have attended to the tasks it requires,
‘summer-grief’ can give us a time of rest and renewal. Like the seasons, we know that our pain may
come around again and again, but each time we are encouraged by experience that
has proven we need never give up. Often,
a new perspective lies right around the next rainbow.
Continually
we learn, we grow, our souls are weathered and we become stronger and more
resilient as we forever follow on the trails of hope.
By Andrea Gambill, Colorado Spring,
Colorado (Bereavement
Magazine May / June 1994)
