Dear Kairo, The Thing About Grief

The thing about grief—the journey you involuntarily find yourself in—is that the time for condolences comes with an expiration date. There is a limit to those moments of bereavement that come pouring in like an avalanche of discarded, almost robotic messages, when everyone seems to care, or is genuinely concerned, or pretends to be—about your well-being, your state of mind, your spirituality.

The first hours, days, weeks, and months become a blur. It feels like a game of soccer, or maybe ping-pong, where the ball goes up and down only to return to the same place where it started. The most disappointing part of this game is when some you believed cared enough don’t even try to check on you. And yet, there are those you least expect, appearing out of nowhere, calling just for the sake of calling—to see if you’re okay.

They don’t always say much, but they say enough for you to understand their intentions.

I have come to value these sporadic conversations. They can feel “annoying” sometimes, as I struggle to pick up the phone, but I do it anyway—because I don’t want to postpone the interruption. Either I answer now or deal with it later. Why put it off?

I am grateful for them. I welcome them. They make the nights and days less heavy. For a moment, I don’t feel like a lost bird. The house feels full.

Dear Kairo, My Text To Janet

How are you, my love? What a question, right? The nerve of I asking you about your state of mind. I ask gently, knowing there are not words big enough to hold what you are feeling. There aren’t. I wish I could wrap you in the tightest embrace and let you rest there for as long as you need and tell you it is going to be ok but I can’t. No one journey is the same. There are many layers. The club comes with one distinguish membership card.
I know this road feels unfamiliar and heavy — gray, confusing, and painfully quiet. Grief changes everything. It stretches time. It makes ordinary moments feel impossible. It runs like an uncontrollable train. And yet, even here, even now, you are being held by the grace of the Almighty. When your strength feels gone, He is carrying you. Lean on HIm with gusto.
Please be so very gentle with yourself. Take all the time you need and not be apologetic for it. Cry until your tears run dry. Speak his name. Sit with the memories. Scream if you must. Run outside, go for a midnight walk — the therapy I needed. It worked that day. Breathe slowly through the waves when they come. There is no “right way” to walk through this. There is only your way — and that is enough; trust me. Lean on it.
The days may feel long and strenuous. Some will be frustrating, some confusing, some unbearably lonely, others atrocious but little by little, you will move forward one step at a time. There is that light at the end of the tunnel. One day the air will feel lighter. The grass will seem greener. The emptiness will give way to memories. You will smile and not feel guilty for it. You will find yourself again, joy — not unchanged, but still beautiful, still whole.
Until then, lean on me whenever you need to. If you need to talk, I will listen. If you need silence, I will sit with you in it. If you need someone who understands the ache, I am here. You do not have to be strong for me, no need to rewrite that script. I know it too well. You only have to be real. Remember, I have been there just a few months ago. It seems surreal.
A side note, I just want you to know I broke down for a second there when they played, I Can Only Imagine — it was the same one they played at my husband’s funeral.
I love you. I am holding you close in my heart and in my prayers. Sweet dreams.

Yours in soft lighting,
Eloi Ahoy

The Psychedelic Road Trip: Grief

Describe grief. There are no words or amount of phrases that will constitute a complete sentence to it. It is an indescribable road trip all of us, liking it or not, will one day end up taking, whether by boat, plane, bicycle, bike or automobile of feelings on a bind, whatever way, it will happen unless we go first, and how we deal with it is one potato soup of bridges. It is an avalanche of thrifty separation, an anxiety of discarded collective uncertainties that pour like rain drops at moments notice. Not a roadmap was ever designed on how to best circumvent the thunderstorm of feelings wrapped around the chest of incurable cheats, as it is an individual journey, but time in the long run is the best antidote in the market. How long will one be stuck on taking the pill?! Only God knows. Keep the faith. Don’t despair. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Be strong, they say, but what can I say? It has only been ninety five days?! I am still looking at the door. It ain’t opening. It is still closed!🤷🏽‍♀️🕊 ✝️