Dealing With Loss

June 15, 2008

Dear Friends,

I frequently mention in these weekly messages that one of the keys to living life in the divine flow (and fulfilling your heart’s desires effortlessly) is maintaining a positive attitude. But I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for that positive attitude to be genuine.

In recent weeks, thousands of people across the U.S. and in China have lost cherished loved ones and treasured possessions because of devastating floods, horrendous tornados, and destructive earthquakes. The grief, sadness, and sorrow that these tragic events elicit is completely understandable. And these feelings must be allowed to run their natural course before there can be an authentic return to a more optimistic outlook.

Living life in the divine flow is not about stuffing your feelings to maintain an "appearance" of positivity. There is such a thing as legitimate suffering in life. It is not the kind of suffering that you bring upon yourself through needless worry or thoughtless actions. It is the kind of suffering that occurs most often with the sudden and unexpected loss of something, or someone, that you deeply love.

If you are dealing with a loss in your life right now, it is okay to go ahead and let yourself feel your feelings about it. In fact, it is necessary. Give yourself permission to experience all of your feelings freely and fully. Allow them to come, and go . . . and come again . . . and go again. It is the only way that they will eventually dissipate.

If, instead, you attempt to suppress those feelings, they will continue to exist at a subconscious level. And, in the end, that will just delay your ability to heal and feel joy again. And by "joy" I mean that underlying sense of appreciation for the total experience of life . . . a joy that embraces all of life’s twists and turns . . . a joy that may be best described as "bittersweet."

To each of you who have recently lost a loved one, a beloved pet, or anything else that occupies an important place in your heart, please know that kindred spirits the world over are supporting you in the restoration of your sense of wholeness, and the recovery of your sense of peace.

Blessings to you all.

Steven

© 2008 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow