Grief: A Brief Description

Grief is like a cougar
Big and strong and hungry
But so quiet and stealthy
You don’t see it coming
You don’t even hear
The snap of a downed branch
Or the rustle of fallen leaves
Until it’s too late
It appears without warning
On the beautiful trail of life
Right in front of you
There is no escape

The trick is to enjoy the trail
Notice the flowers blossoming
In the underbrush
Whistle if you can
Not wasting a single moment
Not even a nanosecond
Anticipating the cougar
Because such worries
Serve no purpose
They do no good at all
It will either appear
Or it will not

If it does, face the cougar
Don’t run, never ever run
Stand tall and speak truth
That grief is love and beauty
A reminder of what you’ve lost
When it tries to overpower you
To devour you
Fight back with memories
Never give up
You can survive the cougar