Grief Has No Clock: A Reflection on Pain, Patience, and Permission

⏳ Grief Has No Clock: A Reflection on Pain, Patience, and Permission

 🕯️ Quote for the Heart

"Everyone can master a grief, but he that has it."  

—William Shakespeare

💔 There Is No Timeline for Loss

Someone once told me it takes seven years to adjust to the loss of someone close. Maybe that’s true. Maybe it takes longer. Maybe it never quite settles at all.

There’s no need to apologize if grief is still a significant part of your life—
not after months, not even after years.

As Martha Whitmore Hickman reminds us in Healing After Loss, every grief has its own timetable.
Only the person carrying it knows its true weight.

🧭 Listening to Our Own Needs

We are often our own best judges in grief.
Sometimes we do need a nudge if we've become too isolated.
Sometimes we need a professional when the shadows grow too heavy.

But the one thing we never need?
Pressure from others to “move on” before we’re ready.

Grief is not weakness.
Grief is the evidence of deep, holy love.

👣 A Moment of Pride Amid Pain

Today, I want to honor my son, Bryce.
He recently asked for help with his sleep and depression—
a brave and honest step that many would hesitate to take.

So many young people feel the need to be strong for their parents,
to hold in their emotions and pretend they’re fine.

But grief doesn’t play by those rules.

It doesn’t care how old you are.
It doesn’t care how strong you seem.
It only asks to be felt, acknowledged, and honored.

Bryce’s courage reminded me that real strength looks like truth, not denial.
I am proud of him for taking care of his heart.

🛡️ Your Grief Is Valid

So if someone ever says:

“Shouldn’t you be over it by now?”
Let those words be your armor.

Let your answer be the words of Shakespeare:

"Everyone can master a grief, but he that has it."

Let them be your peace.

🕊️ Final Blessing

You are not behind.
You are not broken.

You are walking the sacred road of sorrow—
in your time, in your way.

And that is more than enough.

Dyan 

---

💜 Dyan’s Grief Support Resources
🎥 Watch my daily grief reflections on Flip
📚 Explore my grief tools and comfort books
📖 Read my memoir Divine Light

Some links may be affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my healing journey.

Hickman, Martha W. Healing After Loss: Daily Meditations for Grief Recovery (p. 197). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.