A Reflection on Grief, Truth, and Emotional Freedom
By Patricia D. Freudenberg
There’s a moment in grief when something shifts. Not overnight, not dramatically, but quietly—like the lifting of fog at dawn. That moment is truth.
“The truth shall set you free” (John 8:32) is a profound statement. While rooted in biblical scripture, this reflection is shared in a non-denominational spirit—open to all. It’s not about religion; it’s about the transformative power of truth during our most vulnerable moments.
In the wake of loss, truth isn’t always easy. In fact, it can feel unbearable. But the truth I speak of here isn’t the facts of what happened—it’s the truth of your feelings. It’s the acknowledgment of your sorrow. The recognition of your anger. The honesty in your fatigue. The deep ache of missing. And the permission to feel it all.
Grief has stages—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance—and for some, finding meaning, and then legacy. Each one holds a mirror to our truth. When we trust the process, we allow space for those truths to unfold. This is not passive surrender. This is an active allowance of what is. It’s choosing to feel rather than flee.
And while clinical symptoms of depression or trauma should always be met with professional care, much of the natural grief journey calls for truth-telling—to ourselves most of all. When we stop pretending we’re okay… when we stop minimizing our pain… when we allow ourselves to mourn fully—that’s when we begin to taste emotional freedom.
And that freedom feels like light. It feels like surrender. It feels like flow.
The process is personal, but it is also supported by science. Research from Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) affirms that emotional honesty, self-compassion, and acceptance are key components of mental wellness and emotional resilience. These principles mirror what we feel instinctively in grief: when we stop fighting reality, we start healing.
Let the truth set you free—free to feel, to grieve, to remember, to find meaning, and to recover. Not overnight. But over time, through trust, truth, and the tender steps forward.
Prompt: What personal truth are you ready to honor today—and how might embracing it bring you one step closer to peace in your grief journey?
Further Reflection: If you’re walking through the valley of grief, I recommend the book Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender by Dr. David R. Hawkins. Though not specifically written for grief, it offers incredible insight into emotional healing, acceptance, and the energetic shift that happens when we release resistance. You can find it on Amazon here.
© 2025 Patricia D. Freudenberg, Certified End-of-Life Coach. All Rights Reserved
