Grief Recovery Series By Patricia D. Freudenberg
“Round and round the carousel of life — we rise, we fall, we pause, we spin… but always, we keep moving.” – Patty
In the journey of grief recovery, life doesn’t stand still — it moves round and round. As a certified end-of-life coach, I walk alongside those who grieve. While honoring the memory of our loved ones is essential, my focus is also on you, the living — the one still here, still breathing, still capable of shaping legacy.
The image of a carousel is whimsical, yet profound. Life lifts us up with joy, brings us low in sorrow, and spins in cycles of memory, motion, and moments. It’s rhythmic, sometimes dizzying — but it reminds us that movement is life, and healing happens in motion.
Now, let’s ground that visual with another metaphor: the tire. Unlike the carousel, the tire is practical — it gets us places. And just like life, it isn’t immune to damage. Sometimes it leaks slowly. Sometimes it blows out. Sometimes it just needs air. The journey of grief can flatten our momentum, make us feel stuck, or throw us off course.
But just like a tire, we can repair, refill, and realign. We don’t always need a new path — we need a better grip on the one we’re on. And that starts with routine.
Ask yourself:
What does your daily “round and round” look like?
Are you spinning in circles, or moving with purpose?
Are your routines nourishing your spirit, or simply filling time?
The aim isn’t perfection, but smooth consistency. Creating mindful, meaningful routines can help restore balance. They become the rails we lean on — small rituals that anchor us when emotion feels too vast.
Why does this matter? According to research from Stanford Medicine’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE), intentional routines improve emotional resilience. Repetitive, values-based actions — like journaling, walking, or lighting a candle — can regulate mood and build a sense of control in uncertain times.
Let this be your reminder: You are in the land of the living. Choose actions that fill your spirit, build your legacy, and carry you forward with grace.
Because life — even through grief — keeps going round and round.
Prompt for Reflection: If life is your carousel and your tire, what one intentional routine could help you stay balanced and keep moving — even if it’s just one small turn at a time?
Book Recommendation To explore the deeper meaning of living with intention and creating a legacy through grief, I invite you to read my book: Live Your Legacy: A New Spin on Mourning, available on Amazon. This guide introduces Legacy as the seventh stage of grief — the light at the end of the tunnel, where healing, remembrance, and transformation meet.
Available on Amazon
All rights reserved. © 2025 Patricia D. Freudenberg, Certified End-of-Life Coach, Author of Live Your Legacy | CEO of Miss-U-Gram , LLC | Miss-U-Gram.com
