When loss hits, it’s as if the air is knocked out of your lungs. Grief is not just an emotional pain—it is physical, mental, spiritual, and all-consuming. It interrupts your breathing, both literally and figuratively. The days feel heavy. The nights feel endless. And even the smallest task can feel like a mountain.
In this week’s reflection, we pause to explore what it means to simply… breathe again.
The Weight of Survival
Some days, surviving is the only goal. Not thriving. Not creating. Not inspiring. Just surviving. Just putting one foot in front of the other. Just remembering to exhale.
In grief, simple things like getting out of bed, drinking water, or taking a shower are victories. Breathing becomes an act of courage. Not because your lungs forgot how, but because your heart hasn’t figured out why it should.
Let me reassure you: that is okay.
There is no shame in survival mode. It’s a necessary stage of healing.
You Are Still Alive
Loss makes us question our very existence. It asks, “Who am I without them?” But beyond that question lies a truth that grief cannot erase:
You are still here.
You are still breathing.
You are still becoming.
You are still being held—by time, by God, by the quiet strength growing inside of you.
Each breath is a silent testimony that life continues, even when your world has shattered. Every inhale is a permission slip to keep going. Every exhale is a release of what you no longer have to carry.
Breathing Room Is Sacred Space
When you begin to allow moments of stillness—where you just breathe—you create space for grace to enter. Not to erase the pain, but to sit with you in it.
Give yourself permission to:
Breathe without guilt. Rest without apology. Pause without shame.
Healing is not an upward climb. It’s a wave. And sometimes, the most holy, human, and healing thing you can do is inhale the present moment and let it hold you.
So today, if nothing else—breathe. You don’t have to figure out tomorrow. You don’t have to fix your future. You don’t have to rush. Just breathe. And know that even in this, you are healing.
Selah Moment with Dr. Althea Winifred
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