When I read your beautiful, heartfelt posts, a part of me can begin to understand how grief is more your friend than how I experienced it. I am urged to ask myself why? I can feel the heartache you lived each day as John slowly slipped away --how that must have called on every ounce of your courage --I feel I have touched on part of why our grief is felt so differently. John is still with you on your team.
When Doug was killed, it was a dark and ominous time; a time of feeling betrayal from the universe. I did not know the circumstances surrounding his death. I wasn't there to say my goodbyes. It was years later before I heard from a Lt. who was there with Doug that fateful day. Grief was not my friend and I was haunted for years because I could not accept what I did not know or understand.
Realizing this, I feel a new awareness of the "why" there are such stark differences as I read your cleansing post. There are a thousand roads to travel to get from point A to point Z. Acceptance and an open heart to feel and listen to my awareness in the silence is only one road.
I think what I'm saying is, thank you for writing this, Simone. You've touched me with your words. ❤️💞
Hi C.J, Thank you for your kindness and for supporting my writing — my recovery. I will never fully understand anything either C.J, and of course, no two experiences are ever the same, which is why I so believe we all (society) need to feel into listening. All of our paths home to truth are varied. I can try to imagine the horror of not knowing, not being able to say goodbye C.J, little wonder grief wasn't your friend. I am so very grateful John was at home, it was meant to be — it was a gift. Love to you.❤️ PS: Thanks for the restack
"Greet grief with an open heart — compassion. An attentive, present listening validates love’s truth. It is felt — an embodied acceptance of be-ing, the humanness of our soul’s experience." May we greet everything with an open heart! I have a quote that I've been holding onto for what seems like forever. I don't even know where I got it or when or why, but it has stuck with me: "What is grief if not love persevering." It just makes sense. Every time I think I am feeling grief, I give myself a once over and see it is, indeed, love. I LOVED your final poem (all of them were beautiful), but The Silent Inheritance one really stuck with me. Just coming out of winter break where I was allowing my body to listen and leaning into that. I came out of break feeling absolutely marvelous, it was wonderful!!! I wrote a little about it in my next post. Thank you for sharing, sweet girl!! So, so lovely! XO
Hi Danielle, thank you ... a smile is etched across my face reading about giving yourself 'the once over'. Thank you re the poem, I like that it captures the journey so far. So pleased you are feeling great and look forward to your next post. Off to sink my feet in the sand and get rolled around in a few waves today — she's calling.🌊🙏💙
Hi Jamie, thank you for your thoughts and kind words, l really appreciate your support.😊and thank you for pausing in the spaces, it is in those pauses that the energy is most palpable. And if you feel the blinds just moved, then be sure John is sending some of his energy your way, as he did with Shaista yesterday … 💙. everything is connected 🙏 😇
Simone, this is beautiful. I have so much to say that I think there’s nothing to say! Except thank you 🙏🏽. (Gracias, John!). My heart expands with gratitude to have met you in this way.
Hi Shaista, thank you 🙏🏼. I have come home from the beach and just lying quietly … getting in the zone to have a meditation, and the blind starts to swing as notification of your message shows …. Always a wow factor, the synchronicity. I feel John wants to say hi … we are grateful for you too. 🙏🏼💙🥰
Thank you for sharing your journey with grief at such an intimate level, with so much wisdom and deep understanding that only comes from unconditional acceptance of the experience. "Her intention is to never linger, she simply asks to be heard. I was drawn to feel her wisdom offerings." ~ she simply asks to be heard! 💗🙏 🕯️
And then this:
"Fear lurks in an expectation to heal...
So, I prefer to use recovery."
Having contemplated these two words ~ healing and recovery ~ over the past couple of days this stands out. The words we use create expectations, guide us along the path.
And thank you for sharing these beautiful poems 🌸 🙏 🌺
Hi Veronika, Thank you for being here and understanding. Yes, thanks for pointing that out, 'words we use create expectations' — totally. It is the cultural assumptions behind some words that irk me. Thanks for the comment re the poems, and all of your work around the inner landscape, informing parts of my journey. Much appreciated 🙏💜
When I read your beautiful, heartfelt posts, a part of me can begin to understand how grief is more your friend than how I experienced it. I am urged to ask myself why? I can feel the heartache you lived each day as John slowly slipped away --how that must have called on every ounce of your courage --I feel I have touched on part of why our grief is felt so differently. John is still with you on your team.
When Doug was killed, it was a dark and ominous time; a time of feeling betrayal from the universe. I did not know the circumstances surrounding his death. I wasn't there to say my goodbyes. It was years later before I heard from a Lt. who was there with Doug that fateful day. Grief was not my friend and I was haunted for years because I could not accept what I did not know or understand.
Realizing this, I feel a new awareness of the "why" there are such stark differences as I read your cleansing post. There are a thousand roads to travel to get from point A to point Z. Acceptance and an open heart to feel and listen to my awareness in the silence is only one road.
I think what I'm saying is, thank you for writing this, Simone. You've touched me with your words. ❤️💞
Hi C.J, Thank you for your kindness and for supporting my writing — my recovery. I will never fully understand anything either C.J, and of course, no two experiences are ever the same, which is why I so believe we all (society) need to feel into listening. All of our paths home to truth are varied. I can try to imagine the horror of not knowing, not being able to say goodbye C.J, little wonder grief wasn't your friend. I am so very grateful John was at home, it was meant to be — it was a gift. Love to you.❤️ PS: Thanks for the restack
"Greet grief with an open heart — compassion. An attentive, present listening validates love’s truth. It is felt — an embodied acceptance of be-ing, the humanness of our soul’s experience." May we greet everything with an open heart! I have a quote that I've been holding onto for what seems like forever. I don't even know where I got it or when or why, but it has stuck with me: "What is grief if not love persevering." It just makes sense. Every time I think I am feeling grief, I give myself a once over and see it is, indeed, love. I LOVED your final poem (all of them were beautiful), but The Silent Inheritance one really stuck with me. Just coming out of winter break where I was allowing my body to listen and leaning into that. I came out of break feeling absolutely marvelous, it was wonderful!!! I wrote a little about it in my next post. Thank you for sharing, sweet girl!! So, so lovely! XO
Hi Danielle, thank you ... a smile is etched across my face reading about giving yourself 'the once over'. Thank you re the poem, I like that it captures the journey so far. So pleased you are feeling great and look forward to your next post. Off to sink my feet in the sand and get rolled around in a few waves today — she's calling.🌊🙏💙
isn't she always? especially to mermaids like us! because we all are, we just have to have your "attentive, present listening"🥰🧜♀️⛈️🌊 XO
Yes, we need to ground ourselves in her … and water just does it for me … mermaid 🧜♀️ 🌊🙏🏼💙
It does it for me, as well! Does everything for me. Mmm! XO
Thank you Simone!
I wanted to read it a few times.
Gorgeous gifts sprinkled in throughout this!
Her intention is to never linger, she simply asks to be heard. I was drawn to feel her wisdom offerings. Grief.
Vibrational.
Gratitude. Thank you for being-here. Writing. A whole year. I enjoy your words. The spaces they take me into. The spaces they hold.
Love. In loss. In grief. Absence. Presence.
Acceptance. Surrender.
Beautiful poetry.
Be-ing.
A soul having a human experience.
I think the blinds just moved.
I feel it.
Keep writing. We need you. 🙏❤️
Hi Jamie, thank you for your thoughts and kind words, l really appreciate your support.😊and thank you for pausing in the spaces, it is in those pauses that the energy is most palpable. And if you feel the blinds just moved, then be sure John is sending some of his energy your way, as he did with Shaista yesterday … 💙. everything is connected 🙏 😇
So beautiful, Simone. You speak of grief and her capacity to support us so eloquently. This is a powerful message. Thank you.
Thank you Trudi, l appreciate your kind and thoughtful comment, and for being here 🙏😊💜
Simone, this is beautiful. I have so much to say that I think there’s nothing to say! Except thank you 🙏🏽. (Gracias, John!). My heart expands with gratitude to have met you in this way.
Hi Shaista, thank you 🙏🏼. I have come home from the beach and just lying quietly … getting in the zone to have a meditation, and the blind starts to swing as notification of your message shows …. Always a wow factor, the synchronicity. I feel John wants to say hi … we are grateful for you too. 🙏🏼💙🥰
This put a smile on my face. I'm almost not surprised, but like you said - the WOW is undeniable.
😊💜😇
Thank you for sharing your journey with grief at such an intimate level, with so much wisdom and deep understanding that only comes from unconditional acceptance of the experience. "Her intention is to never linger, she simply asks to be heard. I was drawn to feel her wisdom offerings." ~ she simply asks to be heard! 💗🙏 🕯️
And then this:
"Fear lurks in an expectation to heal...
So, I prefer to use recovery."
Having contemplated these two words ~ healing and recovery ~ over the past couple of days this stands out. The words we use create expectations, guide us along the path.
And thank you for sharing these beautiful poems 🌸 🙏 🌺
Hi Veronika, Thank you for being here and understanding. Yes, thanks for pointing that out, 'words we use create expectations' — totally. It is the cultural assumptions behind some words that irk me. Thanks for the comment re the poems, and all of your work around the inner landscape, informing parts of my journey. Much appreciated 🙏💜
Thank you for your kind words Adrian. 🙏