Grieving

A CONNECTION  BROKEN – Grieving, Mourning, Healing Through Colors                                                                                                     

“Man is born broken.  He lives by mending.  The grace of God is glue.”  – Eugene O’Neill                                                                                                    

Coloring at my age?  Why not?  Allow me to explain its therapy benefits in grieving.

We experience a loss on some level almost daily if you think about it; loss of a loved one, loss of a friend or pet, even  a home or job and a friendship we all experience a loss of some kind. No matter how slight.  Currently, we are experiencing (witnessing) a loss of our God given freedoms and finances.  Even something as small and simple as dropping  your last egg on the floor when baking a cake.  Now what! Grieving is a necessity of life. It is all inclusive in a God-fearing life.

I have attended my share of funerals or memorial services but never knew the  true meaning and feeling of a broken heart until my husband died.  Oh, the pain was hard, and my world took on a gray color, walking without peripheral vision; just moving through each day as if in a tunnel.  My son, Jon, flew out to assist me in the cleanup required from an alcoholic’s death, I realized my cupboards were bare, I had to go shopping.  I remember  being at the grocery store but not remembering how I even drove to the store and safely arrived. 

I recall the most common consoling phrase, “Oh, I know how you feel, I’ve been there” or “I know what you are going through.”  Which, a word to the wise, you should never say to anyone in their grief.  Compassion and sympathy are best shown simply by holding a grieving hand and being silent.

I experienced many ups and downs while going through the grieving process, noticing my moods came with their own hues.   I investigated grieving, exactly what does it mean to grieve, what is mourning and how do I get to the end of the hurt, will it ever end.  I wrote on these subjects for a better understanding and reached out to others as well with my findings.  There is so much information and self-helps on grieving.  But I noticed something else that is not found in books or consultations or listening to friends…I noticed my days of mourning were related to colors, God given colors.  I found myself wanting to color as a child, red, yellow, green, blue, gray, purple all relating to my daily moods or feelings which helped me heal and face acceptance of the situation.  While my heart is forever broken (connection broken) I can persevere and be encouraged to move forward; I have begun to paint again.  I found my courage in the scriptures and matched them with a color, I printed business cards with a selected color of a dragonfly with a Bible verse, a complete set.  I hand out my set of colors to anyone who is grieving, to read a card that matches how he or she is feeling for any given day. 

How does this help you in your grieving?  Try a little therapy, grab a box of crayons and some coloring pages, or any art medium and create away.  Let your color creations speak to you; feel God’s comfort as you heal, giving you a new focus  on life’s changes.  Creating beautiful colors is great therapy.  I tell my grandchildren that one is never too old to color,  in or out of the lines.

My love for God’s colors is showing in my paintings, strong reds,  yellows, blues, purples, even grays; like the rainbow of God’s promise to  His people, I find total comfort in knowing He is here to help me always.  Look upward,  notice the world of colors around you and thank Him.  Amen.

  carolsoriginals,com