allowing yourself to grieve as the new year dawns
The excitement of a new year is always welcome ! This year , the holidays brought all my daughters home together . My new grandson was here! IS here ! I had flown out to Denver in November and was met at the airport by my oldest daughter , her dogs and her baby , in one car, and her fiancé in a big Uhaul. Making the move from deep in the high Rockies . We made the trek across country [ and what a trip ! ] to land here , back on Cape cod, where she was born and raised . To make a home .
So , Christmas ! my girl from San Diego, and my youngest from Boston , gathered together for an emotional , joyful holiday morning on Cape , and then we had great family reunion at my sister's home . Singing and sharing ; presents and laughter ! such Abundance and Gratitude .
On the other side of such joy, this Christmas was celebrated without my dad . He passed on , a few months ago, two years from when my mom did , in 2020 ,
We celebrated by honoring them . I gave my children gifts from their house , their lives . Soup Tureen and soup recipes, Casserole dish with recipes, Glasses with which they had celebrated and entertained . An antique golf club from Scotland to my son . So Gramps lives on . So Grams comes through .
.... And with my 6 month old grandson at the festivities , and all of us , who have gone through much - well , the circle of life was present in each moment .
We celebrated by living and being together , all my siblings and families and my children .
On the other side of joy , my oldest , my son , was not with us for the holidays . We will celebrate in January , but , One must honor the feelings of the heart . I do not see him often and there often seems a great distance of the heart and mind. We all missed him , and his family , and my two grandsons . it was like a foggy feeling of sadness . It was wave , every so often , of the missing from me .
On the other side of joy, people we know were also experiencing the loss of loved ones . Some natural and beautiful , like my dads. Some tragic. Some amazing , intense survival stories . Ah, the times of New Moon, Solstice, Holy days, holidays, year end seem to" accentuate the positive" and also bring about great changes , and assist in providing energy for those souls who are ready to go home .
Grief comes through in so many ways . It lives in our bodies , holding on to places. It hides within the caverns of our minds and our everyday living . We can rise up , for sure ! We can get through . We can celebrate and see the good . And we must must , honor the hurt . Let the memories that come without warning , flood us , immerse us in the lives before life moved on .
Because , as we know, they are never lost . Because we know life does move on !
2023 is here . Wow it does feel auspicious ! Even though the world is in the chaos of emotionally leaps, wars and hatreds and transformations , and pole shifts and oh my . There is great hope .
Even though the year my dad left comes to a close . For some reason , this is scary to me . How to I go into this new year without my dad ? Where is my mom ? When did this happen ? Can I do this ?
Yes I can . I will cry and stumble and be scared . I also will be strong and connected to my ancestors , as I become a grandmother and an ancestor myself .
Honor ourselves in the holidays .Celebrate new beginnings, and let ourselves feel all the feelings of endings. The endings open new doors And there are beautiful portals opening new ways of being . new ways of living .
At Masjah , we ae honoring these endings and challenges , along with celebrations .
If you are moving through some challenges, , anxieties , depression, loss . trauma ... Please contact us . We offer classes, but also support and resources . We have practitioners and counselors and healers and are here for those in need.
This is a sanctuary for the wellbeing of all .
Blessings as we travel on our paths , open new doors, and welcome beginnings .
peace,
tracey
