“Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can’t remember who we are or why we’re here.” — Sue Monk Kidd
One of my favourite phrases is Shakespeare’s “Give Sorrow Words”. Without words, heart ache is just that — ache, physical pain. But when we speak or write, we breath life into our pain. We may cry doing so but those tears wash away bits of the agony. Good grievers are story tellers. They gather the pieces and perhaps not in a perfect chronological order, tell the story of the life and love they have lost. Story telling — whether orally (and oral traditions have much wisdom) or in writing — keep our loved ones alive.
So tell your story. Your stories — plural. And if there is no one listening, write them down. (Or even if there IS someone listening, write them down.) Tell the story of your first love. Your pregnancy or pregnancies. Your baby or babies. Your adventures. Tell the story of how the death you are grieving now unfolded. Notice how you feel when you write, when you speak. Breathe deeply when the telling gets hard but continue. Tell the stories so you remember who you are and why you are here.
