"A first faint appearance" is the definition of a word I became curious about recently, because of spring, Easter, and the repopulation in the stores of those tremendously sugared marshmallows - PEEPS! They have gone way beyond the traditional yellow chicks, now in other shapes as well, like bunnies. But they're also in many colors, too - bright red, blue, violet, and pink as well. What makes spring a favorite season is the budding new growth seen everywhere, the return of chirping birds, and in Minnesota, anyway, the return of temperatures that don't frost bite your nose off! I wondered - what would the dictionary say the definition of peep is? And sure enough, I found a definition that beautifully fit spring - "a first faint appearance." What a shining ray of hope that offers! And it fits what happens in the grieving process also. What are some examples of a first faint appearance in grief?
I will call this a "grief peep." It can be the first faint appearance of your own voice, an idea, a new dream, possibility, or purpose after your loss. You may find a new person with whom you can share yourself and stories of your loved one, and you experience a few moments of renewed lightness. Some of the heavy feeling of grief has vanished for a while. A grief peep can be also be a renewal or strengthening of faith and the comfort and hope it brings. And as always, the beauty and miracle of nature can lift your spirit as well.
In grief, it helps to begin to watch for your peeps. We were not meant to suffer in infinite pain. Recognize when those first faint appearances begin to happen. Embrace and honor them. And if they are "hatching" a new purpose in your life, get cracking!
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