Grieving what you need to grieve

I’ve been grieving the loss of a plant.

It kind of feels absurd to write this, giving that there’s much more in the world going on to grieve about.

Yet, I’m grieving the loss of a plant. 

It died in the 10 degree weather when I moved into my new home. 

This was a 35 year old jade plant, given to my husband and I a few years ago by a beloved neighbor. I remember when we got it, I was still in the first month or two of my pregnancy. 

The plant is symbolic to me of my old neighborhood. 

This neighborhood is where I learned to love my husband deeper in my marriage. It’s where I launched RoseCandela.com. It’s where my son lived his first year and a half. 

In this neighborhood, there were 4 of us on the same street that had babies within weeks of one another.

I wouldn’t have come out of early parenthood without these neighbors that felt like family. 

So, the jade plant became this symbol to me of my growth, my fertile body, my many life changes, and my community.

Here’s the thing, beloved, that I’ve come to lately.

There’s absolutely nothing I can do about it now.

The plant died (or is seriously doing some underground work).

I’m grieving what I need to grieve – not just a plant, but the closure of a life chapter.

Part of my grief was that I was beating myself up that I didn’t take the time to move it differently.  

Part of my grief is that I liked the way it looked, and now it looks different. 

Part of my grief is that, like many things, this was a change I wasn’t ready for.

What I’m learning is that I don’t need to judge my grief.

Grieving what you need to grieve will unlock a true path of acceptance for your life as it is, right now. 

Sometimes death is necessary for new life to come forth.

Tell me, what do you see releasing right now as essential to your new life?

How does it feel in your body to release?

What are you going to do today to honor this change in your life?

As always, I hope you embrace what is – because it is yours.

R o s e 

If you want to hear more about my thoughts on grief and it’s how it’s essential to our human-ness, click this link to ask me a question. I look forward to hearing from you, lovely one. 

Grieving what you need to grieve

Thank you, beloved one, for reading one of my almost 300 blogs! Please consider buying me a coffee to keep quality posts like these fueled! 

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