Sometimes the bittersweet aspects of life appear more bitter than sweet. In these times, I re-mind myself that sadness and grief are pieces of the puzzle of life which each of us must work through at various times in our lives. There are lessons to be learned from sadness and grief. To deny these feelings, to cast them aside, rather than work through them, we do ourselves a disservice, for buried sadness and grief will rise and rise again, until we take the time to allow ourselves to feel these natural feelings and honor their meaning in our lives. Today, I acknowledge the sadness in my heart and I let the bittersweet weave into my life until its time is through.
The highly empathic person feels deeply connected to loved ones emotional and physical pain, sometimes feeling their symptoms of illness or experiencing their sadness and joy on a deeper level than the average person who is empathetic of another persons situations. Empaths tend to be deeply sensitive to others beyond their loved ones and inner circle of friends, and they often can pick up some disconcerting feelings both physical and emotional, if gifted with what is known as psychic empathy.
At Sandy Point ~ c. Pamela J. Leavey
Dr. Judith Orloff has written on the topic in-depth in a few of her books. Those that I have read including Second Sight and Positive Energy have given me great insight into understanding the complex and sometimes disconcerting feelings that arise for myself and others with empathic abilities.
Sometimes as an empath, I find myself unable to block these feelings that arise and I have learned to ride them out like a storm honoring the dark nights of the soul that might arise. One must honor the feelings that the empathic trait brings, and learn to deal with the well-spring of emotions that range from happiness to grief and beyond.
I’ve just emerged from one such period where a wealth of empathic emotions propelled me into deep contemplation and triggered the all to prevalent writer’s block. The storm has passed… I emerge like a butterfly with new and strong wings, inspired to fly free filled with joy.
Uncertainty had plagued me for a while on a few different levels and yesterday was the day to cast that aside. I had made a rash decision based on financial concern, and the decision made the situation worse on a few levels. It was time to put the stress the situation caused behind me.
I drove to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge knowing that off in the distance there was a storm moving in. I wasn’t sure when I entered the Refuge if I would drive to Sandy Point, at the southern tip of the Refuge, or turn back and head home when I reached Hellcat Swamp, where the road turns to dirt. I drove on…
Sandy Point, Plum Island, Massachusetts ~ c. Pamela J. Leavey 2014
As the clouds moved closer and the sky darkened, cars were leaving the beach and the Refuge in attempt to beat the storm. I knew instinctively, watching the skies as I drove, that the storm would for the most part, pass north of Sandy Point.
I walked the beach keeping my eyes on the dark clouds, as they moved west to east. I felt a certain sense of safety there, heedless of the swiftly moving storm. I had come there for a reason, to let the storms that had been brewing my heart and mind pass through me with the storm moving across the sky.
Sitting on the beach I felt relieved of the negative energy that had prevailed over my usual positive mindset for a while. The dark skies were moving quickly and far off in the distance to the west, I could see the clear skies following. Sit out the storm, I told myself. It will pass.
I could hear the thunder booming and crashing, and see the occasional flash off lightening light up the dark skies to the north of where I sat on the beach. I felt alive and giddy with energy generated by the storm.
Life brings storms to our door. Some we create on our own, some are nature’s doing. No matter where those storms originate that always pass. In those times of storms in our life, sometimes we must face them head on in order to release them.
As I sat on the beach, I knew I was there to face the brewing storm head on. The release I experienced as I watched the storm roll in was tantamount to giving all things troubling in my heart and soul over to the universe. Trust and let go.
As the wind picked up and the rain began to fall softly at first, I felt cleansed and renewed in the tears of the Great Mother Goddess. My grief moved through me and shifted to happiness and joy.
Sometimes you just need to sit and let the storms in life pass by…
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Musing and Rambling
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has written on the topic in-depth in a few of her books. Those that I have read including 
and 
have given me great insight into understanding the complex and sometimes disconcerting feelings that arise for myself and others with empathic abilities.
