Transforming Grief

Transforming grief is a topic of importance for the bereaved. Many times, simply being in nature or practicing an art can help to transform grief. Lately, it seems I’ve been doing much weeding, trimming, and transplanting in nature as well as evaluating, revising, and editing my memoir. I’ve felt too preoccupied with these activities to think about writing a post. Then I thought, perhaps my recent activities were a parallel invitation to help me transform grief!

Transforming Grief: Weeding, Trimming, Transplanting

First of all with the warmer weather, I’ve been weeding our garden. It is refreshing to view a newly weeded garden! Additionally, the windbreak around our home has a number of “scrub” trees that were somehow seeded by nature. Walnuts get buried by squirrels. Perhaps some forgot where their stashes were, so a few walnut trees pop up here and there. Then, there are the mulberry trees. Wherever a bird eats a meal of berries and subsequently releases the undigested remnants of it, another mulberry tree is born. These trees are crowding into our windbreak, so I’ve started trimming out the smaller ones. The transplanting involved moving my hens and chicks from a temporary spot back to their original area. I think these succulent plants are happy to return to their original “nesting” ground!

• Could weeding, trimming and transplanting help to transform my grief?

In comparing this tiding up of our outdoor space, I saw parallels between this and grief. I asked myself, what could be weeded, trimmed or transplanted in my grief journey? Are there ways I spend my time that may be ignoring or bypassing grief? Could there be activities from my past that could be transplanted into the present which have potential for healing? Here is a post which explains how to find favorite activities from one’s past to help this issue: https://linda-m-wolfe.com/how-to-process-grief/.

Changing: Evaluating, Revising, Editing

Secondly, more of my time has been spent with doing some deep dive evaluating on my as yet unfinished memoir. I’ve been moving some parts around and doing some major revisions as well as a bit of editing. It struck me that even though it is quite different work, this writing business is very similar to what I’ve been doing outdoors! This photo essay post was an easy “read” to change my outlook since I’ve been doing much reading and rewriting: https://linda-m-wolfe.com/easing-grief/.

• Could evaluating, revising and editing help to transform my grief?

My habits tend to follow me and influence my grieving process. I must evaluate how I spend my time. It is important for me to change or let go (or revise) what I do not need so I may nurture what I do. Smaller life changes may be perceived as editing. I plan to apply my weeding, trimming, transplanting, evaluating, revising and editing to my grief. But first, I have more outdoor weeding and trimming to do. Then, I have my mostly indoor evaluating, revising and editing to accomplish. (This post includes some additional grief therapy techniques: https://www.betterplaceforests.com/blog/articles/8-common-grief-therapy-techniques) I guess my easier and quicker way to cope is to do the sound healing option: https://linda-m-wolfe.com/tuning-into-healing-grief/. It has always been a comforting way to shift my grief! I wish you well in transforming your grief.