Sadness Opens the Heart

Grief developed early in our evolutionary history along with our instincts to acquire for survival. It is part of the drive to go get, hold on to, and protect something that is needed. But since impermanence and change are the nature of creation, things will always come and go. The seasons pass, youth moves into aging, good times end, memories and friends fade, pets and loved ones die and are gone. All are recycled, reborn, renewed or replaced, but grief doesn't see that. Healthy sadness and grieving are useful and needed to say goodbye, let go, move on, heal and become whole again. When the process is blocked, we remain stuck "in the past" and cannot move on, be present, and enjoy "what is." By longing for what is lost, grief and sadness make clear what is important to us. With that clarity, we can move on to find more of the same from other sources, or adapt by focusing on other important values.