Let’s Stand Together In Grief

We are experiencing turbulent times; incidents we never fathomed, situations we have no expertise in dealing; and worst of all, the cumulative grief and pain as a society and as humankind.

We are at loss of words to express our sorrow and agony; we are refraining from sharing our emotions; we are avoiding negative news that silently invades our body and home.

But in doing so, we have started distancing ourselves from friends and family that need us, people who have stood by us through thick and thin, up until now.

I understand we are emotionally disturbed and that we can handle stress and trauma only to a limited capacity but there are friends out there who only need a listening ear to vent out their bottled up emotions and speak about the pain in their heart. Have we lost empathy? Have we started comparing our losses?

There are people whom we love that need a shoulder to cry on but probably we’ve missed checking on them in the flurry of events that have kept us occupied or simply because we are trying to create a fence around us that safeguards us from even listening to other’s pain.

There might be few friends and family who are awaiting your phone call, and others who are too grief stricken to even think about you, but your words may strengthen and appease them. Call them, message them, and check on them!

Don’t shun your friends when they need to talk to you. Don’t close the doors of your heart to those who love you. This is not a time of establishing ego or discussing old disputes.

You might be dealing with a lot, we all are, but at this time, we need to stand together, by each other’s side, and support in whatever way we can.

I’ve read numerous messages on staying away from negative news, but I don’t think it implies that you cocoon yourself and become unreachable for even few friends and family members just because they are reeling in pain or grieving.

Let’s save the humanity with collective efforts!

Poem: Let’s stand together in grief

Grief…

It has a way to get to you

–

Grief has no boundaries

Grief knows no caste or race,

Grief doesn’t care for your wealth,

It just dominates your space

–

“Men don’t cry,” they say

“Why not?” Grief says

“A child shouldn’t mourn,” we wish

“I don’t care for your age,” Grief says

–

Grief feeds on our peace,

It hollows us from inside

A void it creates that dwindles our faith,

Grief, just doesn’t walk away

–

It knows how to paralyze our senses,

It’s mastered the ways to intimidate,

It gradually consumes our body,

Grief just doesn’t relinquish its ways

–

So, let’s cry our pain away,

Share with others and speak,

Don’t let Grief accumulate in our hearts

Let tears and care assuage our Grief

–

For Grief, you know, it’s incomparable,

It just doesn’t retreat on its own,

So let’s hold each other’s hands,

In the moments when we grieve

–

©Vandana Bhasin