When grief and gratitude walk together

I roam the house in the early light, caught between two worlds. I feel the joy of the holiday season and the sorrow of grief and loss. This liminal space is familiar. It’s a place where beauty and pain collide to make meaningful moments that leave us feeling thankful despite the sadness. As I step out onto the back deck into the cold morning air, I remember some of these moments from the last few days.

A majestic bald eagle comes to me in a dream, perched at the top of a pine tree in our backyar...