Chapter 10: Engagement: The Sacred Work of Sorrow

The grief we carry is part of the grief of the world.

Hold it gently. Let it be honored.

—Jack Kornfield, The Art of Forgiveness, 2002: 58.

 

Grief is the work of mature men and women.

It is our responsibility to be available to this emotion

and offer it back to our struggling world.

—Francis Weller, The Wild Edge of Sorrow and “Drinking the Tears of the Earth,” 2015.

 

When we can listen deeply and give freely, there is a natural evolution from the exploration of an inner self to the practice of care between self and other. Ultimately, the work of community is the practice of care stitching the world together.

—Mark Nepo, “We Can Find Each Other,” Three Intentions Weekly Reflection, 2018. Read more