Grief is My Expertise

Grief is my professional and personal area of expertise. It’s what I do. I’m a hospice chaplain. I sit with people in their pain every day.

I’ve also spent the year grieving a marriage I fought for and held on to much longer than I should have. I lost the opportunity to use my gifts of leading and preaching. What I have known my whole life as my purpose and calling.

If grief was my most important lesson last year, betrayal was certainly the second.

And then, when I was ready to bid this year adieu, I lost my sweet cousin. A young, brand new mother who brought joy to this world. Yesterday we laid her to rest.

Last year ended and this one began far too painful than words could ever describe.

Grief is something I’ve studied. Because that’s what I do. I read all the books and study all the things and know my subject forwards and backwards.

But grief has taught me that my head knowledge will never be enough. Books, no matter how much information I consume, may make me an expert. But only experience will truly bring me empathy.

If you haven’t experienced the things you’re an expert of, please be careful how you share your information. Wisdom requires not only expertise, but also empathy.