Forward Momentum

As we edge ever closer to Spring, the urge to get outside and explore excites me. At the same time, I am also pondering the metaphorical significance of forward momentum as it relates to those who have come and gone from our lives. The day my husband died from a massive heart attack, I had to tell our school-age daughters about his passing. As a parent, it was the most heart-wrenching conversation of my life. Words could not adequately help them to tolerate this most brutal blow, yet this imprecise tool was all I had. I recall telling them how much they were loved and sharing that we would get through this profound pain together. I know I also shared the only thing that felt reasonable to say...that we would have to take one step at a time and keep moving forward. In early loss, one step is often all we can tolerate. Eventually we find that we are walking - perhaps even running - again. While we are forever changed by loss, I believe our loved ones would want us to continue walking forward in their honor, with their love in our hearts and their spirit beside us.