When You Feel Sad

by James E. Miller

Sadness is often a part of grief—
     that cannot be denied.
You’re sadness is real,
     yet it need not be final.
You have known deep joy before;
     you can yet again.
And while your despair brings you pain,
     it can also bring you wisdom and strength.
From it you can learn secrets about yourself,
     and truths about others.
Through it you can experience the blessings of healing,
     and the mysteries of life.
So listen to your despair
     and allow it to lead you to greater fullness.
And always remember: you are not alone.
You are loved, whatever happens.
You have significance, whatever befalls.
For you are an unrepeatable act in God’s grand creation.
You are irreplaceable.
At this moment, your journey in life
     is requiring of you great courage,
          often unseen by others.
Be strong in your persistence.
Be supple in your patience.
And know: despite your brokenness,
     and somehow even because of it,
          wholeness awaits you.
Despite what you have lost,
     and somehow even because of it,
          you stand to gain.
You hold the possibility of experiencing life
     with a maturity, and a compassion, and an appreciation
          you have never known before.
So be open.
Know that the life which flows through you
     has been given you as a sacred gift.
Cherish that gift.
Nurture it.
Above all else, hallow the preciousness
     of each passing moment that is yours,
          for this is where the miracle of life resides,
               and this is where you must go to find it.
Finally, remember that your destiny was predicted
     by the writer of the Book of Job:
“You will forget your misery,
          you will remember it as waters that have passed away.
And your life will be brighter than the noonday;
     its darkness will be like the morning.
And you will have confidence,
     because there is hope.”

These words are from the conclusion to the Willowgreen videotape Listen to Your Sadness: Finding Hope Again After Despair Invades Your Life by James E. Miller. You can learn more about this resource, as well as other Willowgreen resources about loss and grief, here.

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