“There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief…and unspeakable love.”

-Washington Irving

You know, it’s funny, grief. It doesn’t make sense, there are no instructions, no one’s journey with it is the same. But what is even crazier to me is how strongly one can feel for someone else’s pain and how grieving with someone going through a loss can almost feel harder than grieving for your own.

Sadly, I’m experiencing this today. Since my dad passed away, every time I have a friend that loses a parent I feel that loss stronger than my own, it makes it all so real again. And I cry: tears of understanding and sadness and compassion and anger, and so many other unexplainable emotions which I don’t feel are even definable. This doesn’t make me feel weak, it makes me feel stronger in the long run. I get a little tougher every time I have to face my own grief again, face to face, and being able to help others like I was helped. The tears mean more than anything I could ever say to try and make things easier. Thinking back to the moment my father passed away I was surrounded by so many people that love me, and they didn’t say a word, they just cried.  Those tears were messages of love and I felt that, and that was enough.

There’s a song that calms me, brings me to a place of peace, and reminds me of all the people who love me and are there to hold me up when I can’t do it alone. (Please click the image below.)

Today’s blog is to you, love, and you know who you are. I love you so much and I WILL “shine the light”! The tears I’m shedding are messengers of overwhelming grief…and unspeakable love! ❤