Death is staring too long into the burning sun and the relief of entering a cool, dark room.
Elisabeth Kubler-RossRead
The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not "get over" the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same nor would you want to.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Grief is an ongoing process that shapes us rather than a hurdle to overcome.
This quote emphasizes the enduring nature of grief and recognizes that losing a loved one is a profound experience that alters our lives. It encourages acceptance that while we will heal and grow, the impact of such a loss will always be a part of us, contributing to our complexities rather than erasing our past.
Themes
GriefLossHealingLoveMemory
In practice
Example use cases
Sharing this quote at a memorial service can help attendees understand the ongoing nature of grief.
More from Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
All quotes →The simple life on the farm was everything to me. Nothing was more relaxing after a long plane flight than to reach the winding driveway that led up to my house. The quiet of the night was more soothing than a sleeping pill.
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The ultimate lesson all of us have to learn is unconditional love, which includes not only others but ourselves as well.
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There is no joy without hardship. If not for death, would we appreciate life? If not for hate, would we know the ultimate goal is love? At these moments you can either hold on to negativity and look for blame, or you can choose to heal and keep on loving.
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We're put here on Earth to learn our own lessons. No one can tell you what your lessons are; it is part of your personal journey to discover them. On these journeys we may be given a lot, or just a little bit, of the things we must grapple with, but never more than we can handle.
Elisabeth Kubler-RossRead
There are no mistakes, no coincidences; all events are blessings given to us to learn from.
Elisabeth Kubler-RossRead
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