Tangled Grief

The newest Disney movie to hit DVD is Tangled. I felt it was a pretty non-violent, non-emotional movie that my children would enjoy so we have rented it this week. It has turned into quite an emotional movie for me. I do not want to spoil the movie for anyone so without saying too much....there is a scene towards the end where the town's people and the King and Queen once a year let loose flying paper lanterns to signify their loss...it overwhelmed my heart to think of a community joined in grief. It was not their personal loss but it affected all of them and once a year they all joined to honor and remember their loss. Many times when we have people around us affected by trauma or grief we long for the day when things will be "normal" again. That is not the way grief really works. The people or person personally affected never goes back to normal, their lives change and adjust into the new normal. There is something hopeful and significant in this town joining together to hurt and grieve with this couple who has had loss. It is not forgotten, how powerful it must be and how helpful is must be for the ones most affected to be able to communally be able to "remember" and hurt together. We do not live in a bubble or vacuum. We live with people we hurt with people. I LOVE seeing this example and for some reason it gets to me every time.