God bless the pastor, the reassuring friend, or even the oblivious stranger attempting to aid those wading through the waters of grief with this customary cliché. It has, unfortunately, lost some of its impact on our psyche, in part due to its excessive application, but also to its misappropriation. Indeed, using this phrase seems to cause more internal frustration for those recovering from having lost a loved one than it does to provide them with peace. Despite its seeming misuse, however, the truth and wisdom behind it can, in fact, refresh our perspective and guide us to a more fulfilling purpose.
Death is a fearful concept. Because our understanding of it is finite, our perception of life is linear. Our birth is the beginning; our death is the end. Everything in between is what we can see, touch, feel, and experience. And when the time comes for us to look mortality in the face, we think about not only losing what we have, but the uncertainty of the future. It terrifies us because all we know is what is in front of us and suddenly it can be taken away in an instant. We grieve for those that have left us, because we feel we have been robbed of that which has brought great impact to our lives and we fear for ourselves because we also do not wan ...
