Together, it's easier to make space for grief and for the love and joy that it stems from, which is the same love it inevitably returns to, if we allow that spaciousness. May these quotes about grief comfort you, validate what you feel, and bring a little more light to the holidays. You belong in the light, too.

When we carry the people we've loved in our hearts, in our conversations, and into the work we do and the actions we take, we bring them forward and allow them to not only be an element in our lives still, but to make an impact. In that same way, they bring us forward, toward them. We do this thing, together. We rebuild, together.

My favorite poems about grief do either one of two things: express my own experience in words in a way I never could or call on me to think differently about my experience. It’s a special thing when a poem can do both. Today I’m paying forward a beautiful grief poem written by Denise Levertov. May it call up your compassion the way it does for me.

Our wedding vows are an ode to the power of love, and friendship, and hope. Because that's how we make it through the difficult things. Our special day, like all I ever share here in writing, was a celebration of how far we’ve all come, and who we've chosen to become. I hope our wedding vows make you feel something.

The older I get, the more I feel that home is the place where your heart goes to rest. When you grieve the loss of someone you love, it can be hard to find that sense of home – because that someone you love was, in a way, your home. This grief poem is about rediscovering that sense of home again, right where you stand.

This science poem is, oh, so beautiful, and that is a VERY big understatement. It's written by theoretical astrophysicist Katie Mack. She studies dark matter, the early universe, galaxy formation, black holes, cosmic strings, and the ultimate fate of the cosmos. This stunning poem of hers, titled Disorientation, is one of the best things I've ever read and listened to.

What if life is actually everything happening all at once, not compartmentalized and controlled but fluid and full, each task wed to another, each sadness and delight related? This poem is about that sense of wonderment and appreciation. Being in awe of everything is a kind of therapy, an active participation in life.

In honor of our loved ones who have passed, I wrote a poem. For me, they speak most clearly through poetry. It also seems like when we put down what we're carrying, let the past rest, and embrace the moment we're standing in instead, we have a better chance of feeling their presence. May this poem help you do just that.

I think it’s important to fall in love with the world as it is before you set out to make a difference in it. One of the best ways to do that is through the language you use every day. These mantras can be part of your meditations, but more powerful than that — they can be part of your everyday life. They can help you think in new ways, can bring you back to your own heartbeat on a stressful day. It's a practice of honoring the world around you and within.