Grief’s Web
How getting caught in a web of grief can be a good thing.
Originally published at Psychology Today
Yesterday, I saw a spider’s web capture a bee. The bee tried to untangle itself, but the harder it tried the more entangled it became in the intricacy of the web. Finally, it stilled. Did it give up, did it know, in bee’s terms, how the fight would not save its life? So just give in — relax — release.
The spider was nowhere in sight, yet, made its presence known with its far-reaching web. Almost beautiful, delicate, and yet, cruel… a forceful presence.
Grief can often carry a cruel side, and yet it creates value in meeting an unknown self through its presence. The web grief weaves. It can feel as if it kills some part of you in the way it grabs you and takes you in its grip. Grief sticks to you. It also arouses internal desire and energy and life forces, unlike any other emotion. It’s in knowing you have a choice to fight for the life you want to lead.
We weave our own webs, get caught in our own stickiness, adhere to a stuckness until we either meet a soulful death or calm ourselves, take a moment to assess, so we can make the crucial moves necessary for the next step into growth. Grief follows us. More now than ever. Instead of letting it take you down, honor its presence and value…
