I Know How the Flowers Felt

The American poet, Robert Frost, wrote:

            The rain to the wind said,
            "You push and I'll pelt."
            They so smote the garden bed
            That the flowers actually knelt
            And lay lodged - though not dead.
            I know how the flowers felt.

If you have ever experienced a significant loss in your life, you know "how the flowers felt." You know what it's like to be pelted with change and overwhelmed with emptiness, loneliness, rejection, confusion and sadness.

At such times, it seems that no medicine, no diversion, no bandage, no words can soothe the pain. Time and the power of God's presence can lessen the pain, but even these gifts cannot cure it completely.

The grieving associated with change or an experience of loss affect all levels of our being: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. This is natural. When we grieve, we leave behind someone or something very precious to us. We can expect to have feeling of shock, sadness, depression, denial. These feelings can be accompanied by tears, restlessness, fear, and anxiety. We might also expect to experience headaches, backaches, stomach aches or other physical ailments.

A vision of life that is whole and hopeful, and the knowledge of a God who is with us in our pain, helps us cope. Ultimately, that knowledge and vision can lead us to compassion and a deeper bonding with others who experience loss and pain because we will know "how the flowers felt."