Grief emerges like waves crashing on to the beach.
The salty water comes barreling onto the sand. The impact is rough and takes your breath away.
You taste the salt of your tears like you desperately gulp in the raw saltiness of the ocean. The wind blows your hair all around you so you cannot see what is in front of you. You only feel your tear streaked face and the tide engulfing your ankles.
As the waves of grief recede, you can inhale a life-giving breath of peace.
The incoming waves take part of the sand away with it into the sea, and the release of your cries can slowly take pieces of your pain away.
A cool breeze blows your hair back as you breathe in the sweet air of calmness.
It overtakes you.
The feelings of joy prickle your skin as a smile slowly forms on your face. You close your eyes and feel the warmth from above. Life is good.
You walk down the beach with sand moving below your feet. Every step forward is a victory. When you open your eyes, you start to feel the dampness of the waves coming back and you hold your breath. Ready for them to make impact.
And they do.
But you have done this before and you know you can survive it. You taste the salt of your tears once more and cry out with pain of what should have been and wait for the waves to fall away like they always do.
And after they recede back into the ocean, you take another step, for this is a lifelong journey.
-Colette
