Good Grief

Good Grief

Charlie Brown was fond of saying “good grief” whenever life started going south on him. Whenever he was at logger heads with Peppermint Patty or Linus, this was his mantra.  Charlie Brown became the poster boy for good grief.

Although it’s a little outdated, the phrase is uttered when one is surprised, alarmed, dismayed or shocked at an unexpected situation. For those who have some religious sensibilities it is an acceptable substitute for “good God” or “good Lord.”

There is another meaning. What brought it to mind was the recent news that Maggie, our grandkids cat of many years, died. Those of us who were raised with pets know that they are as much a part of the family as any sibling. When a pet is sick or dies, it is a family crisis and a season of grieving begins.

As a child, I grieved over the loss of my pets. Entering into the life-death cycle at an early age teaches valuable lessons that pay big dividends later. I learned about grieving, the good grieving, at the back-yard burials of Pooka and Bandit, the parakeets, cats, rabbits and gerbils who were my childhood friends.  Experiencing those losses helped prepare me for bigger losses later in life.

No grief is fun. It is the hard reality of living. Whenever I stand over a grave praying for my own or someone else’s loved one, I experience a measure of grief all over again. Grief is the God given emotion that purges the soul when loss comes our way. I have learned to embrace the good grief.

I share the following as a postscript. “Grief never ends. But it changes. It’s a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It’s the price of love.” Author unknown.