Kaleidoscopes. We’ve all looked into one, yes? For me, I need to close one eye to do so, and I know that no two are the same.
When you look into a kaleidoscope, you see a collective image of broken pieces. Turn it a bit to the right or the left and you get a totally different and constantly changing image – especially when held up to a light.
I also see the kaleidoscope images as being awesome – beauty in brokenness, as pieces come together to form new images.
Just as it is with grief. It is unique to each new day.
In talking about a kaleidoscope of grief; I see the broken pieces representing our lives after a death has happened.
We tend to feel broken, with rough edges, wondering if we will ever be “whole” again.
These pieces of grief can be thoughts and memories of our loved ones, reminders of secondary losses (such as loss of the familiar, loss of support systems, loss of income, loss of dreams for the future to name a few).
And even though we will not be the same “whole” we were before the death of our loved one, we are beautifully broken as we continue to change and strive to create new meanings/connections with our loved ones along our grief journey’s path.
I will be talking more about the Kaleidoscope of Grief through our virtual support group, which will be streamed on our STBTC Grief Support Facebook Live group, on April 22 at 6:30 p.m. Feel free to reach me at 210-757-9428 during business hours, or you can email me.
