Inspiration

Healing Words of the Savior Jesus Christ

• "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30)

• "In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

• "Blessed are all they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)

• “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”  (John 14:18)

• “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)

• “But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage” (Mosiah 7:33).  

• "I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; … that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions." (Mosiah 24:14)

• “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” (Ether 12:27). 

• “I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” (D&C 84:88)

• “Even so am I in the midst of you. . . . Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. Behold, I do not condemn you. . . . Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. " (D&C 6:32-36)

• "“He that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven. Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. For after much tribulation come the blessings.”  (D&C 58:2-4)

• “Ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world; …And none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost” (D&C 50:40–42)

• "...your afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if ye endure it well, God shall exalt you on high..." (D&C 121:7-8)

• "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26)

Scriptures About Healing through the Savior Jesus Christ

• "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." (Psalms 35:18)

• “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all” (Psalms 34:19) 

• “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.” (Psalms 55:22)

• "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds." (Psalms 147:3)

• "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

• “He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” (Isaiah 40:29)

• "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."  (Isaiah 41:10)

• "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. With his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53: 3-5)

• "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted..." (Isaiah 61:1)

• "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

• "And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam." (2 Nephi 9:21)

• "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7: 11-12)

• “As much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions.” (Alma 38:5)

• "...thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow...thou knowest the greatness of God, and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain." (2 Nephi 2:1-2)

• "...remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” (Helaman 5:12)

• “And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God” (Ether 12:18) 

• “Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions” (Jacob 3:1)

Modern Prophets and Church Leaders

• “We can’t fully appreciate joyful reunions later without tearful separations now. The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life.” – Russell M. Nelson

•  “Mourning is one of the deepest expressions of pure love. It is a natural response in complete accord with divine commandment: ‘Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die’ [D&C42:45]” –Russell M. Nelson

• "The healing effect of the Savior's redeeming power may have an even greater impact on our emotional, spiritual, and even physical health than any earthly cure we may receive. Jesus Christ is the Healer in this life and in eternity." -Dieter F. Uchdorf

• “Heaven is filled with those who have this in common: They are forgiven. And they forgive.” -Dieter F. Uchdorf

• “As seedlings of God, we barely blossom on earth, we fully flower in heaven.” –Russell M. Nelson

• “The cavity which suffering carves into our souls will one day also be the receptacle of joy.” –Neal A. Maxwell

• “Faith in God includes faith in His purposes as well as in His timing. We cannot fully accept Him while rejecting His schedule.” -Neal A. Maxwell 

• “Having faith in Jesus Christ is to trust that because of His atoning sacrifice He will correct all injustices, restore all things lost, and mend all things broken, including hearts. He will make all things right, not leaving any detail unattended.” -Lynn G. Robbins 

• “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education. … All … that we [patiently] endure … builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable. … It is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our [heavenly parents].” -Orson F. Whitney

• “I believe that the challenge of overcoming and growing from adversity appealed to us when God presented His plan of redemption in the premortal world. We should approach that challenge now knowing that our Heavenly Father will sustain us. But it is crucial that we turn to Him. Without God, the dark experiences of suffering and adversity tend to despondency, despair, and even bitterness.”  -D. Todd Christofferson

• "If I were speaking to someone who had lost their child to suicide--first of all, the sadness, anger, regret, those things are very common feelings. It happens to everybody. Everyone involved will start wondering, "What could I have done differently? How could I have done it? And if I had done this, then something different would have happened." What I want to say is that this is not your fault. This is not an indictment of your parenting. Saying things like "How could my child have done this?" is also not very helpful because even you, as the loving parent, don't know enough to judge, and that judging is a completely unhelpful thing. Leave that to God. I think that the right things are to know that your child, now in the spirit world, can progress."  –Dale G. Renlund

• "One of the challenges, after you have a loved one who's taken his own life, is the grieving process... I believe that the grieving process can last for a long time. In most people, the real intense hurt diminishes over time. But to say that it's all going to be better tomorrow is, of course, a ridiculous statement. The grieving process is aided by being reminded of Heavenly Father's plan, reminded of the Savior's atoning sacrifice, reminded that the Savior knows exactly what you're going through. The grieving process is aided by talking to others, talking to friends, talking to other family members. And it's aided by trying to go outside of oneself to help others who are similarly grieving. Try to just get through the next day and then the next day and the next day." –Dale G. Renlund

• "There's this particular verse that Isaiah gives that is remarkable. He says, "When ye are weary he [the Savior] waketh morning by morning." He's there every day. He neither slumbers nor sleeps. So if the best you can do is to get up and out of bed in the morning, just know that He's there with you. He's there to help you. The Savior will sanctify your deepest distress. How He does that, I don't know. But I know that He does it.” –Dale G. Renlund

• “I believe the vast majority of cases will find that these individuals have lived heroic lives and that suicide will not be a defining characteristic of their eternities.” –Dale G. Renlund

• “Persons subject to great stresses may lose control of themselves and become mentally clouded to the point that they are no longer accountable for their acts. Such are not to be condemned for taking their own lives. It should also be remembered that judgment is the Lord’s; he knows the thoughts, intents, and abilities of men; and he in his infinite wisdom will make all things right in due course.” –Bruce R. McConkie

• "We have reason to have the greatest hope and consolation for our dead of any people on the earth; for we have seen them walk worthily in our midst, and seen them sink asleep in the arms of Jesus…” – Joseph Smith, King Follett Discourse

• "Sometimes the veil between this life and the life beyond becomes very thin. Our loved ones who have passed on are not far from us.” -Ezra Taft Benson

• “After having been enclosed in the walls of a prison for five months it seems to me that my heart will always be more tender after this than ever it was before. … I think I never could have felt as I do now if I had not suffered the wrongs that I have suffered.” –Joseph Smith

• “If things continue to be debilitating, seek the advice of reputable people with certified training, professional skills, and good values. Be honest with them about your history and your struggles. Prayerfully and responsibly consider the counsel they give and the solutions they prescribe. If you had appendicitis, God would expect you to seek a priesthood blessing and get the best medical care available. So too with emotional disorders.” –Jeffrey R. Holland

• “Trust in God. Hold on in His love. Know that one day the dawn will break brightly and all shadows of mortality will flee. Though we may feel we are ‘like a broken vessel,’ . . . we must remember, that vessel is in the hands of the divine potter. Broken minds can be healed just the way broken bones and broken hearts are healed. While God is at work making those repairs, the rest of us can help by being merciful, nonjudgmental, and kind.” -Jeffrey R. Holland

• "I bear witness of that day when loved ones whom we knew to have disabilities in mortality will stand before us glorified and grand, breathtakingly perfect in body and mind. What a thrilling moment that will be! I do not know whether we will be happier for ourselves that we have witnessed such a miracle or happier for them that they are fully perfect and finally “free at last.” Until that hour when Christ’s consummate gift is evident to us all, may we live by faith, hold fast to hope, and show compassion one of another." -Jeffrey R Holland

• “God can make good come … not just from our successes but also from our failures and the failures of others that cause us pain. God is that good and that powerful.” Kevin J Worthen

• “Death’s sting is softened as Jesus bears the believers’ grief and comforts them through the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, broken hearts are mended and peace replaces anxiety and sorrow.” –Merrill J. Bateman

• “Just as the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda needed someone stronger than himself to be healed, so we are dependent on the miracles of Christ’s Atonement if our souls are to be made whole from grief, sorrow, and sin." –Merrill J. Bateman

• “When tragedies overtake us, when life hurts so much we can’t breathe, when we’ve taken a beating like the man on the road to Jericho and been left for dead, Jesus comes along and pours oil into our wounds, lifts us tenderly up, takes us to an inn, looks after us. To those of us in grief, He says, ‘I will . . . ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, . . . that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions’. Christ heals wounds.” -Sharon Eubank “Christ: The Light That Shines in Darkness,” Liahona, May 2019

• "Those who have passed beyond, can see more clearly through the veil back here to us than it is possible for us to see them from our sphere of action. I believe we move and have our being in the presence of heavenly messengers and of heavenly beings. We are not separate from them. And therefore, I claim that we live in their presence, they see us, they are solicitous for our welfare, they love us now more than ever...their solicitude for us and their love for us and their desire for our well being must be greater than that which we feel for ourselves." -Joseph F. Smith, Conference Report, April 1916, 2–3. 

• “When we are experiencing pain, the caregiver is a very important part of the recovery process. Attentive doctors, nurses, therapists, a loving spouse, parents, children, and friends comfort us when we are ill and speed our recovery process. There are times when, no matter how independent we may be, we must entrust others with our care. We must surrender ourselves to them. Our caregivers are those who assist in the healing process. The Lord is the ultimate caregiver. We must surrender ourselves to the Lord. In doing so, we give up whatever is causing our pain and turn everything over to Him.” —Robert D. Hales

• “Just as the Savior offers peace that ‘passeth all understanding’ [Philippians 4:7], He also offers an intensity, depth, and breadth of joy that defy human logic or mortal comprehension. For example, it doesn’t seem possible to feel joy when your child suffers with an incurable illness...Yet that is precisely the joy the Savior offers. His joy is constant, assuring us that our ‘afflictions shall be but a small moment’ [Doctrine and Covenants 121:7] and be consecrated to our gain.” -Russell M. Nelson 

• "The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives. When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation . . . and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening— or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. He is the source of all joy." -Russell M. Nelson

• "We also increase the Savior’s power in our lives when we make sacred covenants and keep those covenants with precision. Our covenants bind us to Him and give us godly power.” -Russell M. Nelson 

• “Through your faith, Jesus Christ will increase your ability to move the mountains in your life, even though your personal challenges may loom as large as Mount Everest.”  -Russell M. Nelson

• “Hope is mightier than a wistful wish. Hope, fortified by faith and charity, forges a force as strong as steel. Hope becomes an anchor to the soul. … If we will cling to the anchor of hope, it will be our safeguard forever.” -Russell M. Nelson

• “He knows our struggles, our heartaches, our temptations, and our suffering, for He willingly experienced them all as an essential part of His Atonement. And because of this, His Atonement empowers Him to succor us—to give us the strength to bear it all. . . . “. . . His Atonement also provides the opportunity to call upon Him who has experienced all of our mortal infirmities to give us the strength to bear the burdens of mortality. He knows of our anguish, and He is there for us. Like the good Samaritan, when He finds us wounded at the wayside, He will bind up our wounds and care for us. The healing and strengthening power of Jesus Christ and His Atonement is for all of us who will ask.” -Dallin H. Oaks 

• “Our Heavenly Father … knows that we learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass. We know that there are times when we will experience heartbreaking sorrow, when we will grieve, and when we may be tested to our limits. However, such difficulties allow us to change for the better, to rebuild our lives in the way our Heavenly Father teaches us, and to become something different from what we were—better than we were, more understanding than we were, more empathetic than we were, with stronger testimonies than we had before.” -Thomas S. Monson

• "I have learned that grief is the price we pay for loving someone—and that the price is worth it. When loved ones pass from this side of the veil to the other, they continue to be just as important to us as when they were with us. Because we love them, we can’t really expect to completely “get over” losing them." -Steven Eastmond www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2014/01/the-healing-power-of-grief 

• After telling the story of his older brother rescuing him from pounding ocean waves, Elder Juan Pablo Villar said  "...we can feel powerless and want to give in to a stronger fate. Those “malicious waves” could jostle us from side to side. But do not forget who has power over those waves and, in fact, over all things. That is our Savior, Jesus Christ. He has the power to help us out of every miserable condition or adverse situation. Regardless of whether we feel close to Him, He still can reach us where we are as we are. As we reach out to Him in faith, He will always be there, and in His time, He will be ready and willing to grasp our hands and pull us up to a safe place."

• “No matter what the source of difficulty and no matter how you begin to obtain relief—through a qualified professional therapist, doctor, priesthood leader, friend, concerned parent, or loved one—no matter how you begin, those solutions will never provide a complete answer. The final healing comes through faith in Jesus Christ and His teachings, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit and obedience to His commandments.” -Richard G. Scott 

• “God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs.” -Spencer W. Kimball

• “As followers of Christ, we are not spared challenges and trials in our lives. We are often required to do difficult things that, if attempted alone, would be overwhelming and maybe impossible. As we accept the Savior’s invitation to ‘come unto me’ [Matthew 11:28], He will provide the support, comfort, and peace that are necessary.” -John A. McCune

• “It will comfort us when we must wait in distress for the Savior’s promised relief that He knows, from experience, how to heal and help us. … And faith in that power will give us patience as we pray and work and wait for help. He could have known how to succor us simply by revelation, but He chose to learn by His own personal experience.” -Henry B. Eyring

• “All of us will be tested. And all of us need true friends to love us, to listen to us, to show us the way, and to testify of truth to us so that we may retain the companionship of the Holy Ghost.” -Henry B. Eyring

• "Our Heavenly Father is aware of our needs and will help us as we call upon Him for assistance. I believe that no concern of ours is too small or insignificant. The Lord is in the details of our lives.” -Thomas S. Monson

• “We cannot control and we are not responsible for the choices of others, even when they impact us so painfully. Whatever the outcome and no matter how difficult your experiences, you have the promise that you will not be denied the blessings of eternal family relationships if you love the Lord, keep His commandments, and just do the best you can.” -Dallin H. Oaks

• “Not all problems are overcome and not all needed relationships are fixed in mortality. The work of salvation goes on beyond the veil of death, and we should not be too apprehensive about incompleteness within the limits of mortality.” -Dallin H. Oaks

• “Healing blessings come in many ways, each suited to our individual needs, as known to Him who loves us best. Sometimes a ‘healing’ cures our illness or lifts our burden. But sometimes we are ‘healed’ by being given strength or understanding or patience to bear the burdens placed upon us.” -Dallin H. Oaks

• “Many of you suffer needlessly from carrying heavy burdens because you do not open your hearts to the healing power of the Lord. … Lay the burden at the feet of the Savior.” -Richard G. Scott

• “As you and I come to understand and employ the enabling power of the Atonement in our personal lives, we will pray and seek for strength to change our circumstances rather than praying for our circumstances to be changed. We will become agents who act rather than objects that are acted upon." -David A. Bednar

• “Sometimes … blessings come in such an unusual manner and with such precise timing that they accomplish something in addition to blessing us. They so clearly confirm the reality of God’s existence that they buoy us up in times of trials” -Gerald N. Lund

• "On the other side of the veil, there are perhaps seventy billion people. They need the same gospel, and releases occur here to aid the Lord’s work there. Each release of a righteous individual from this life is also a call to new labors. Those who have true hope understand this. Therefore, though we miss the departed righteous so much here, hundreds may feel their touch there. One day, those hundreds will thank the bereaved for gracefully forgoing the extended association with choice individuals here, in order that they could help hundreds there. In God’s ecology, talent and love are never wasted." -Neal A. Maxwell

• "I urge you to devote time each week—for the rest of your life—to increase your understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ... I weep for those who struggle spiritually or who carry heavy burdens alone because they do not understand what Jesus Christ did for them. Jesus Christ took upon Himself your sins, your pains, your heartaches, and your infirmities. You do not have to bear them alone! He will bless you with what you need. He will heal your wounded soul. As you yoke yourself to Him, your burdens will feel lighter. If you will make and keep covenants to follow Jesus Christ, you will find that the painful moments of your life are temporary. Your afflictions will be “swallowed up in the joy of Christ.” -Russell M. Nelson

• "In the garden and on the cross, He bore the unbearable and atoned for us. In time and eternity, He shows us by example how death unlocks the passageway into eternity." -Gerrit W. Gong

• "Untreated mental or emotional illness can lead to increased isolation, misunderstandings, broken relationships, self-harm, and even suicide. I know this firsthand, as my own father died by suicide many years ago. His death was shocking and heartbreaking for my family and me. It has taken me years to work through my grief, and it was only recently that I learned talking about suicide in appropriate ways actually helps to prevent it rather than encourage it. I have now openly discussed my father’s death with my children and witnessed the healing that the Savior can give on both sides of the veil." -Reyna I. Aburto 

• "Adversity is not evidence of the Lord's disfavor, nor a withdrawal of His blessings. Opposition is part of God's plan to refine us and prepare us for an eternal, celestial destiny." -Quentin L. Cook

• "As we accept the Savior's invitation to come unto Him, we soon realize that our best is good enough and that the grace of a loving Savior will make up the difference in ways we cannot imagine." -Vern P. Stanfill

• "Perhaps the greatest indicator of character is the capacity to recognize and appropriately respond to other people who are experiencing the very challenge or adversity that is most immediately and forcefully pressing upon us. Character is revealed, for example, in the power to discern the suffering of other people when we ourselves are suffering; ...and in the power to reach out and extend compassion for the spiritual agony of others when we are in the midst of our own spiritual distress. Thus, character is demonstrated by looking and reaching outward when the natural and instinctive response is to be self-absorbed and turn inward...the Savior of the world is the perfect example of such a consistent and charitable character. " -David A. Bednar

• "Do you remember the biblical story of the woman who suffered for 12 years with a debilitating problem? She exercised great faith in the Savior, exclaiming, “If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.” This faithful, focused woman needed to stretch as far as she could to access His power. Her physical stretching was symbolic of her spiritual stretching. Many of us have cried out from the depths of our hearts a variation of this woman’s words: “If I could spiritually stretch enough to draw the Savior’s power into my life, I would know how to handle my heart-wrenching situation. I would know what to do. And I would have the power to do it.” When you reach up for the Lord’s power in your life with the same intensity that a drowning person has when grasping and gasping for air, power from Jesus Christ will be yours. When the Savior knows you truly want to reach up to Him—when He can feel that the greatest desire of your heart is to draw His power into your life—you will be led by the Holy Ghost to know exactly what you should do. When you spiritually stretch beyond anything you have ever done before, then His power will flow into you." -Russell M. Nelson

Other Inspirational Quotes

• "You will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly—that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp." -Anne Lamott

• "What we have once enjoyed and deeply loved, we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes a part of us." -Helen Keller

• "Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it." -Helen Keller

• "We are healed of suffering only by experiencing it to the full." -Marcel Proust

• "Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals them." -Leo Tolstoy

• "Hope does not lie in a way out, but in a way through." -Robert Frost

• "Grieving allows us to heal, to remember with love rather than pain. It is a sorting process. One by one you let go of things that are gone and you mourn for them. One by one you take hold of the things that have become a part of who you are and build again." -Rachael Naomi Remen

• “Tell me, O older and wiser sister,” I wrote, “how long will this grief last?” Older and wiser, she wrote back: “Grief is never over. The time will come when you control your grief rather than the other way around. You’ll draw upon those memories when you need and want them, rather than having them show up uninvited. But your grief will never go away, which is the way it should be. It is part of who you are.” -Fenton Johnson

• "Grief knits two hearts in closer bonds than happiness ever can; and common sufferings are far stronger links than common joys." -Alphonse de Lamartine

• “The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not ‘get over’ the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same nor would you want to.” -Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

• "Grief shared is grief diminished." -Rabbi Grollman

• "Mourning is one of the most profound human experiences that it is possible to have. . . . The deep capacity to weep for the loss of a loved one and to continue to treasure the memory of that loss is one of our noblest human traits." -Edwin Shneidman

• "Tears have a wisdom all their own. They come when a person has relaxed enough to let go and to work through his sorrow. They are the natural bleeding of an emotional wound, carrying the poison out of the system. Here lies the road to recovery." -F. Alexander Magoun

• "Each person’s grief is as unique as their fingerprint. But what everyone has in common is that no matter how they grieve, they share a need for their grief to be witnessed. That doesn’t mean needing someone to try to lessen it or reframe it for them. The need is for someone to be fully present to the magnitude of their loss without trying to point out the silver lining." -David Kessler

• "Healing doesn’t mean the loss didn’t happen. It means that it no longer controls us. People often think there is no way to heal from severe loss. I believe that is not true. You heal when you can remember those who have died with more love than pain, when you find a way to create meaning in your own life in a way that will honor theirs. It requires a decision and a desire to do this, but finding meaning is not extraordinary, it’s ordinary. It happens all the time, all over the world." -David Kessler

• “Sorrow prepares you for joy. It violently sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter. It shakes the yellow leaves from the bough of your heart, so that fresh, green leaves can grow in their place. It pulls up the rotten roots, so that new roots hidden beneath have room to grow. Whatever sorrow shakes from your heart, far better things will take their place.” -Rumi (Jalal ad-Din Muhammad ar-Rumi)

• “And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.” -Haruki Murakami

• "There's no greater power on the earth than the Savior's power that created it, filled it with light and life, and set it wondrous motion. Turn to the Savior, knock, ask, and let that same power flow into your being to enlighten your mind, comfort your spirit, and heal your brokenness." -Anonymous

Death is Nothing At All

It does not count. I have only slipped away into the next room.  Nothing has happened. Everything remains exactly as it was.  I am I, and you are you, and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.  Whatever we were to each other, that we are still. 

Call me by the old familiar name. Speak of me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference into your tone. Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. 

Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.  Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.  Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it. 

Life means all that it ever meant.  It is the same as it ever was.  There is absolute and unbroken continuity. 

Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am but waiting for you, for an interval,  somewhere very near, just round the corner. All is well. Nothing is lost. One brief moment and all will be as it was before. How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again! 

-Henry Scott-Holland, a priest at St. Paul's Cathedral of London, delivered in a sermon in 1910.