Grief: Wandering Thought #269: Just as physical pain is a sign that there is something wrong with the body, grief, which is mental pain, is a sign that there is something wrong with the mind. Such grief is always over losing the departed, not getting the desired, or not being able to get away from the detested.
If we reflect more deeply, though such anguish is natural in many circumstances, it is really unnecessary. Just as a sharp or dull pain equally reminds us to seek a remedy for relief, the subtlest pain of grief should be swiftly healed by reflecting and responding in the following ways…
The departed, if a person alive, can still be sought. Even if hard to find, just do your best. If there was conflict, likewise do your best to resolve it. Having done your best, there is no point to grieving further. Even in the midst of doing your best, there is no time to grieve. If deceased, cherish the worth of the relationship and wish him or her well, with prayers and such. If the departed is an item lost, likewise do you best to find it. If not found, cherish your memory of it too. It is through cherishing that the lost is never really lost.
If not getting the desired, be it a beloved person or thing, again just do your best. The unattainable simply becomes ‘the departed’ above. If not able to get away from the detested, be it a person or situation, simply change your attitude to accommodate and make peace till changes arrive. There is thus never true cause for grief, which only cripples and confuses, distracting us from reflecting and responding as above.