This box was created to bring comfort to those experiencing recent grief and loss. Its contents are curated to offer some help, to soften some of the pain, confusion, numbness, and emptiness that grief brings.
First, let us acknowledge that grief itself can be considered a profound injury. Similar to when we suffer from a physical wound, in grief we are left raw and compromised. And yet, grief is an entirely natural process. It is universal to all sentient beings. Grief, while painful, can be trusted.
I trust grief. I trust it to work through its cycle. It can do so most easily if we ally ourselves with it and take extremely good care of ourselves throughout the process. That is what The Grief Box is for.
Working with grieving people for the last several years I have seen firsthand the difficulty people have taking care of their most basic needs. I have also noticed how helpless people feel to offer anything they feel is valuable to those others around them who are also grieving. This is the place from which The Grief Box was born.
We all grieve and are in some phase of grief, even if it is not for an actual person at this time. The embracing of new phases of life includes the loss of the life that came before. Life goes on, and in our culture and society we are not given much leeway to feel the enormity of even everyday losses. In going through the grief process, we may need some sense of direction or something to hold on to. Elements of the box, including the guide, can anchor us when we need it. If we are on the outside caring for another who is in grief, it gives us the opportunity to feel less helpless, to offer a concrete gesture that may actually help.
The Grief Box contains some sensible ingredients that attend to our sensory needs. It also contains ritual elements and even provides a physical container that can be used in whatever ways feel most appropriate.
Grief needs to be felt. If it is put off, which it often is due to immediately pressing needs, it will have its time when there is space to do so. Anniversaries, special days, times of year, and seemingly random moments and events may trigger grief responses. These are other opportunities where The Grief Box may be of help.
Grief needs to be seen and shared. The depth of love and the intensity of relationship to the person who is gone are commensurate to the depth of grief. This does not always mean that the relationship was harmonious. Grief does not need to make sense. It has an innate wisdom that lies beyond our ability to sift through it mentally. This is another way in which The Grief Box can be helpful, in that it touches upon multiple ways to experience grief, not just by reading, talking, or writing about it.
