HUG Corner: Thought for the Week 3/11/19

Healing After Loss (Martha Whitmore Hickman)

“For certain is death for the born
And certain is birth for the dead;
Therefore over the inevitable
Thou shouldst not grieve.”

-Bhagavad Gita

There is a certain tranquility in this passage from Hindu Scripture, but for most of us it suggests a kind of acceptance we’re not ready for yet.

The concept of reincarnation, a tenet of Hindu belief, is comforting and disquieting both – which is nothing new for religious concepts! It is comforting in that it assures the survival of the soul and its journey to ultimate perfection. It is disquieting in that it makes no promise to return our lost loved one to the circle of our friends and family, either in this life or in a future life. What we want is our own particular, longed-for a loved one!

And even if we believe without a doubt that we will be reunited with our loved one, do we not grieve over the separation now? Of course.

Yet as we sweep the world and the religions of the world for comfort and insight, the peace in these words can calm our souls.

I am grateful for all words that address my need.