Like many of you, I spent the week-end immersed in a fog of sadness as the the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown unfolded. I vacillated between wanting to know more, trying to get my head around what had transpired, to tuning out, not allowing myself to gather any more information or see the latest "take" on why this happened. For the families who lost loved ones and the friends and community of those individuals, tuning out, shutting down, not even a power outage will allow them to step away from this event.
The path of grief and healing will be long and arduous, there is no turning this story off.
I will keep these people in my heart, thoughts and prayers as they make this journey.
There is much sorrow to be experienced and healing to happen for the rest of us as well, as we process the unimaginable and try to reconcile it with our own lives.
Photos by my talented friend Carolee Salat
more about her here
About grief, we will all experience it, likely not in the way these families are, but in some way. I have experienced profound grief and I am forever changed because of my walk through it. I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that people the world round, no matter how well intentioned, can respect and give space to those who are hurting, to leave them to their grieving and to show them love and support in ways that are not intrusive, but kind and caring. Ways that demonstrate respect for their loss and hope for their journey.
REUTERS/Joshua Lott
In my grief, I found comfort from in the form of beauty, the beauty of the gestures and thoughtful acts by family, friends and neighbors, the beauty in embracing and holding dear my memories, beauty in immersing myself in the things I love, my children, my husband, my family, the beauty in (eventually) helping others who were experiencing similar losses, beauty in the every day (whatever that meant on a given day).
So while in the scheme of things, a design blog, decorating or DIY projects may seem inconsequential, they are all to me, a means of finding beauty in the every day, a path to healing, a way to make sense of the world.
How do you find beauty in the every day?
5 comments:
It's just unthinkable that something like this could ever happen. I hope that somehow the victims families will find peace again someday.
Well written, Cathy ~ my heart aches for them, I feel so guilty wanting to shut it off, knowing that they can't. They're all in my prayers.
I went through the same push and pull feelings over the weekend with everything that has unfolded in Newtown. I went from wanting to know more and why to turning it off, tuning it out and just loving and being with my family as much as possible. I've cried every day since I found out on Friday. I've found beauty in much the same way you have described,but I've also found beauty (and comfort) in routine. Enjoy breakfast together as a family over the weekend. Holding Sheila's hand as I walked her into school this morning. Listening to some of our favorite songs on the way to school (Frosty and Santa Claus is Coming to Town - or as Sheila likes to call it "List"). Those are beautiful moments for me. I'm waiting for a snowfall - that will be beautiful! Thanks for your words of comfort today Cathy.
I think that busying myself with household nonsense is the way I am getting through this week. I know that I need to be more present in everyday.
So well said. I can't even put into words how I feel about this, but I watched the coverage as much as I could on friday and then shut it off. It seems like there's just too much to process. I didn't find comfort and beauty this weekend in continuing with holiday traditions and spending time with loved ones and friends.
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