Firsts

In May, I graduate with my Doctor of Ministry Degree. It was an exciting day, as my family and I gathered in the National Cathedral with my colleagues I had worked with over the last three years. It was  a day of joy.
And yet.
And yet, it was also a day of grief. This was the first graduation I was at without my Pap, who meant the world to me. My work is dedicated to him. I wore a pin in his honor. But he didn't get to be there with his smile and cheers.
In June, I started a certificate program at Fordham for the Supervision of Spiritual Directors. It was awesome to receive that acceptance letter.
And yet. 
And yet, it was the first acceptance, I wasn't able to share with him.
The journey through grief is long, dear friends. Sometimes the "firsts" are easy to recognize - first holiday, first birthday, first anniversary. Others are a lot hard to recognize, or even put words around, but they are just as real. 
This is why we cannot journey through grief alone. The road is too long and too unperdictable. We need companions to just sit with us, cry with us, and help us to put words to our treasured memories. 
Let us hold hands with one another along this terrian.