I took this picture of my Aunt Earlene’s “Kitchen Christmas Tree” which was laden with dainty tea cups.

You could look at the tree for hours and find new and fascinating things from every angle!

As I looked through my pictures of the tree, I stopped on this particular china tea cup and plate hanging precariously from its branch. I couldn’t help but feel a kindred spirit stir within me as I saw reflected in this cup a picture of my soul.

Fragile. Easily broken. Hanging on to the last limb.

Grief reaches down into your soul and seems to pull out every feeling, every nerve-ending, every insecurity, every doubt…..

And then places all of these sensitive aspects of our being on display for the world to see.

Words that may be said in love or may be said without thinking can cut my heart like a knife. (Words that in the past I may have not even remembered moments later.)

Actions of even the closest friends can leave me wondering if anyone really cares (I know deep inside they do…………it’s just that my heart has no more room for any pain.)

It’s strange but when you’re grieving, it is almost as if God is calling you to a higher level of grace and mercy.

I’ve often tried to place someone else in my shoes and thought, “What would I say? How would I act?”

The truth is………..

There is often no way to please or comfort a grieving friend other than just being there to listen.

Sharing Scriptures maybe.

Sending a text just to say, “I love you” maybe.

Watching a movie together.

Something safe.

CS Lewis said in A Grief Observed that he became angry when people asked about his wife who had recently passed away and he became angry when they didn’t. I totally understand what he is trying to say.

I guess I say all of that to say that if you are grieving like I am, my prayer is that you can have a level of grace and mercy with your friends and family. They love you. They hurt with you. They just feel helpless.

I know mine do.

And the truth is…………….in many ways they are.

Grief is a journey that has to be traveled to a certain extent……alone with God.

And if you are reaching out to a friend who is grieving please know that they don’t mean to seem hurt sometimes by your words or actions. They really don’t. It’s just that when a china tea cup hangs from a branch, sometimes it is going to get chipped.

So today, I want to say to all of you, THANK YOU for being my encouragers and my friends. Thank you for listening to me and sharing words of hope. Every time I read your comments, I walk away strengthened and renewed! You minister to me through your words.

THANK YOU!

Yes, I am fragile.

Thank you for “handling me with care!”

I consider you all treasures that I would happily display on my Christmas tree of life!