SNEAK PEEK: Good Mourning – From Darkness to Morning, Sunrise in Seasons of Loss
Mourning Has Broken
The path of righteousness is the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.
Phase six of the mourning process is a gradual, but steady move toward wholeness. The morning sunrise finally breaks through the gloom of night.
Phase Six – Morning has finally broken through
Our daughters both chose June for their weddings and usually the weather in the month of June, in British Columbia, is very unsettled. Kristy’s wedding day was no exception. We awoke to dark clouds and drizzling rain. While we were inside the church for the ceremony, the drizzle turned to a downpour, but Kristy was undaunted. She had wanted the pictures to be taken outside and insisted that we carry through as she planned.
You have no doubt had similar experiences. The clouds and rain were unexpected but nevertheless were very real, so we were forced to adjust our plans. The photographer set his camera up under the church portico and had the bridal party stand under cover, about eighty feet in front of a forest of large cedar trees. It was an excellent way to be outside in natural surroundings and still remain dry.
Just as he began to snap the photos, something wonderful happened! The rain suddenly stopped and a tiny crack in the cloud cover gave place to a glorious ray of sunlight. It shone like a spotlight on our happy bride and groom, and we were able from that point on to get all the pictures our daughter had planned.
There are times in each of our life journeys that we are canopied in unexpected and unwanted clouds. As we happily saw on that June wedding day, clouds do not hang over us forever. The sun has a wonderful way of announcing new hope and promise. Its rising helps us put the cloudy days into a place of distant memories.
There’s nothing quite like a sunrise.
I’m sure you, like I, have seen many sunrises – sunrises over the deserts of Arizona, the sandy beaches of Hawaii, the wheat fields of Saskatchewan or the snow-capped mountains of British Columbia. There’s nothing quite like the panoramic beauty of the painted sky or the warming power of the morning rays. They cut like razors through the once black night. Mornings, uniquely planned by our creator eons ago, offer each of us a fresh new day. New opportunities, unused hours, unsung songs, undiscovered relationships lay at our feet!
The sunrise is emblematic of what happens in phase six of the mourning process. The clouds that have been so black over the last several months finally begin to break up. Hope is alive in each tiny ray of light. We begin to realize that there is life after the loss that we’ve experienced. We begin to understand that there is still more undiscovered purpose to our life.
The encouragement of friends
It’s at this point along the mourning pathway, where close family members and friends will be of invaluable support. The affection and encouragement of those we love can do wonders in pressing us forward down the uncharted road before us. Those who have walked the road of grief a few paces ahead will offer wisdom and guidance into our present reality.
