21 Grief Quotes That Highlight the Love That Never Dies
It hurts because it mattered, and it will always matter. I've learned that grief is another name for Love and that no matter how deep your grief makes a home in you, love will always leave a window open. A window for fresh air in the middle of the storm, for a hope that comes after you've lost all hope.
There’s an invisible thread connecting your heart to all hearts, you to all life. Grief is a heavy weight to carry and it's also an anchor in love. It's not something you can rush or push past. It feels so like fear that it's hard to see how it can leave room for love.
But love finds its way through you. You learn to breathe it in and out, the love and the fear, all at the same time. You'll find pain in letting go and hope in what you pick up. This, because you're here to experience it all.
If you want to honor the love that your pain stems from and goes back to, but you're not sure how, read these grief quotes.
21 Grief Quotes That Highlight the Love You’ll Never Lose
1. “So often we try to make other people feel better by minimizing their pain, by telling them that it will get better (which it will) or that there are worse things in the world (which there are). But that’s not what I actually needed. What I needed was for someone to tell me that it hurt because it mattered.” – John Green
2. “When we lose someone we love we must learn not to live without them, but to live with the love they left behind.” –Unknown
3. “Grief is not linear. It’s not a slow progression forward toward healing, it’s a zigzag, a terrible back-and-forth from devastated to okay until finally there are more okay patches and fewer devastated ones. The mind can’t handle emotions like grief and terror for any sustained period of time, so it takes some downtime.” – Lisa Unger, Beautiful Lies: A Novel
4. “You see, love and grief are two sides of the same precious coin. One does not—and cannot—exist without the other. They are the yin and yang of our lives… Grief is predicated on our capacity to give and receive love. Some people choose not to love and so never grieve. If we allow ourselves the grace that comes with love, however, we must allow ourselves the grace that is required to mourn.” – Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph. D.
5. “Grief only exists where love lived first.” – Franchesca Cox
6. “We need to grieve the ones we've lost — not to sustain our connection to suffering, but to sustain our connection to love.” – Jennifer Williamson
7. “Every time we make the decision to love someone, we open ourselves to great suffering, because those we most love cause us not only great joy but also great pain. The greatest pain comes from leaving…the pain of the leaving can tear us apart. Still, if we want to avoid the suffering of leaving, we will never experience the joy of loving. And love is stronger than fear, life stronger than death, hope stronger than despair. We have to trust that the risk of loving is always worth taking.” — Henri Nouwen
8. “But in all of the sadness, when you’re feeling that your heart is empty, and lacking, you’ve got to remember that grief isn’t the absence of love. Grief is the proof that love is still there.” – Tessa Shaffter, Heaven Has No Regrets
9. “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” – Thomas Campbell
10. “Grief is a matter of the heart and soul. Grieve your loss, allow it in, and spend time with it. Suffering is the optional part. Love never dies, and spirit knows no loss. Keep in mind that a broken heart is an open heart.” – Louise Hay & David Kessler, You Can Heal Your Heart
11. “Never. We never lose our loved ones. They accompany us; they don’t disappear from our lives. We are merely in different rooms.” – Paulo Coelho, Aleph
12. “Grief opens a place in our hearts that we never knew could hurt so profoundly, but it also opens this same place to a love we never imagined possible” – Unknown
13. “Grief is the price we pay for love.” – Queen Elizabeth II
14. “Grief is not a disorder, a disease, or a sign of weakness. It is an emotional, physical and spiritual necessity; the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve.” – Dr. Earl A. Grollman
15. “Grief is so human, and it hits everyone at one point or another, at least, in their lives. If you love, you will grieve, and that’s just given.” – Kay Redfield Jamison
16. “To mourn your loss is required if you are to befriend the love you have been granted. To honor your grief is not self-destructive or harmful, it is life-sustaining and life-giving, and it ultimately leads you back to love again. In this way, love is both the cause and the antidote.” – Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph. D.
17. “The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.” – Kahlil Gibran
18. “When you are sorrowful look again into your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.” – Kahlil Gibran
19. “Love, where it ever existed before, doesn't cease to exist. To speak of love in the past tense is not to know love at all. Love goes on, being always a continuation and an extension of love. Your grief is but the continuation of the love you once experienced, and will always experience. Grief is another name for Love.” – Jennifer Williamson
20. “There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, a deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.” – Washington Irving
21. “Grief is no more necessary when we understand death than fear is necessary when we understand flying.” – Richard Bach
. . .
Tell me:
With love,
Which of these quotes is your favorite?
Tell me in the comments. I read every single one, and I'd love to know!
Jen
P.S. Not sure how you're going to find your way back home... to the love? Keep this poem somewhere you'll see it every day, so you never forget how resilient you can be. How much hope there still is.
Comments on this post (38)
I will love my wife until the sands of time run still … and then some more.
— Daryl
Every quote has pieces that made my heart echo. However, my greatest love has been my greatest sorrow. I miss my best friend and husband every single day. I miss our family, I miss the way he looked at me, I miss the way he made me laugh, I miss his hugs and kisses. I don’t understand how grief allows love in. It’s been 19 years since he died and I have been open to love but only lost both my children (they are estranged adults) in giving in to the openness. I accept that I will me my greatest love in another realm when I pass.
— Karla
In Ireland I read a tombstone. A man’s wife engraved a poem which said she had received many gifts; it ends, “but to have had you as my husband was the greatest gift of all.” It is near my darling wife’s grave. Reading it, I felt that sharing grief helped me, it was a sorrow shared and halved, but nothing removed that awful sense of loss. I believe I lost judgment, love of music, interest in news. By accident I came across the old song, Robin Adair, and the first line summed the feeling, “what’s this dull town to me, Robin’s not here.”
— John Devoy
When we lose someone we love, we must learn not to live without them, but how to live with the love they left behind.
I struggle daily!
Miss and love you mom and dad
Kazuko Mikami-Wall
Dec. 29, 2014.
Robert (Bob) Lee Wall
Mar. 18, 2019
Bessie M Wall-Thomas
— Bessie Wall-Thomas
1, 3 &4
Were my favourites (in that order).
I was writing the eulogy for our much loved mum and was looking for comfort and for guidance on what to write and how to cope.
I stumbled across this page and was pleased that I had.
— David
These quotes are all beautiful. I lost my three small children and my mother in a car accident in 2006. I’m well into my grief journey and doing well. I think my favorite quotes are the ones that talk about the power of tears. I found it the only way through was to face my pain head on, honor the pain and the tears. I found with every tear I shed I healed just a little. My heart goes out to all of you but especially those early in their grief journey. Have faith that there can be light, love, joy again in your life.
— Teresa
I’m sorry you feel this way, Chris, but everyone is and thinks different, and glad you found something that made sense in your own experience. – Jen
— Jennifer Healey
None of these resonate, all ridiculous cliches except for one. Grief is the price you pay for love. Some of us pay dearly, even with our lives.
— chris
Thank you for these beautiful quotes. I lost my son Who was 18 at the time. They are all so helpful and speak to my broken heart. My favorite of them is 11. “Never. We never lose our loved ones. They accompany us; they don’t disappear from our lives. We are merely in different rooms.” – Paulo Coelho, Aleph
— Lori Lahman
Loosing my most magnificent Bengal cat this passed year was like loosing a child. He was do self aware- and so loving. He filled our home with great joy and has taught me so much. I have cried rivers of tears every day since early September. A few weeks ago, I finished decorating for the holidays – he loved the Christmas tree! I broke down and my daughter came barreling out of the guest room upstairs where our precious cat spent most of his final days with us. She was screaming bug! Flying around and trying to land on or cat’s pictures. My husband went up and brought down a beautiful butterfly! This was mid December!! We looked it up and it is called a mourning cloak- I lost it , filled to overflowing with emotion. We live in P.A….very cold week. I contacted an expert and this beautiful butterfly is hibernating in my garage , in a butterfly habitat we made – until spring. This entomologist was also a grief counselor- not the first time she has had people contact her with similar experience with butterflies after suffering loss. I know we will be reunited one day. I know our Lord sends us these celestial creatures to teach us, and to help us return with hearts of gold.
— Ellen
All these quotes have real meaning.
I lost my beautiful wife in September so I am grieving heavily at present.
From the first moment I believed she is worth every teardrop as each one represents a special time we had together. We were married 51 years and it means a lot of tears that I do not mind letting out. She will always be worth it as long as I remain here.
— Dennis
All these quotes have real meaning.
I lost my beautiful wife in September so I am grieving heavily at present.
From the first moment I believed she is worth every teardrop as each one represents a special time we had together. We were married 51 years and it means a lot of tears that I do not mind letting out. She will always be worth it as long as I remain here.
— Dennis
I write this 4 weeks into the grief of the loss of my beloved cat Bella. I have lost human family members but none of it has come close to the grief of the loss of her. I feel I will never recover. I am deep in denial and desperately want to hold her again. The realisation that I won’t is too much to bear.
— Lynsey
We lost our beloved Golden Retriever, Gracie on Nov 23, 2021. Born April 2nd 2010 – died November 23 2021. We are totally gutted.
These are the quotes we love:
“When we lose someone we love we must learn not to live without them, but to live with the love they left behind.” –Unknown
“Grief only exists where love lived first.” – Franchesca Cox
“We need to grieve the ones we’ve lost — not to sustain our connection to suffering, but to sustain our connection to love.” – Jennifer Williamson
“When you are sorrowful look again into your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.” – Kahlil Gibran
“There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, a deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.” – Washington Irving
Thank you for posting these loving words of grief.
— Beverly and Jon W.
Oot of sorrow the heart is made good
— Allen v. Mumford
Trevor, and thank you for being here, and for sharing, and for honoring the sacredness in that pain of such devastating loss. It is so very hard to keep your heart open to the world, to each other, and to your own experiences after something like that, like losing your daughter how you did. But we can try, and that itself is a beautiful thing. A light in this world. Thank you for that. May we all know peace.
— Jennifer Williamson
Thank you, Jack. Gathered in the arms of love. x
— Jennifer Williamson
I stumbled onto your site and I’m glad I did. My favorite 2 are 14 & 20 . My daughter died of a drug overdose in May 2019. She battled Mental illness for 13 years . My life has changed and I like #14 because it’s so true, profound and yet so simple. #20 sums up my life these past years and certainly rings true to me. Thank you for your efforts to enable others to feel validation and to help them voice their suffering and pain.
— Trevor Richman
I wrote this poem thinking of my parents .
Take Heart Grief Has Its Part. Grief had its part To tear at my heart As night covers the light of day The calm of sleep No more to weep Of the costs that I must pay But as of late I contemplate This part that I must bear Yet through it all I have become so totally aware That pushing through to the other side To ease the pain for sure Tis nothing more that I can hide But simply must endure Its not a task you finish see And simply move along It changes how you choose to be And captures a new song A song of love thats past But in your heart to last Which when recalled you then can know Of lifes emotions with its ebb and flow Take heart in sorrow yes my friend Do not look for its final end Just ease the days and as they run They make into what youve become And with the strength from up above Your gathered in the arms of love.Jack G. 05/16/2020
— j gofers
Vanessa, I hope you have more of those days this year where you can feel his love and presence all around you. x
— Jennifer Williamson
I love numbers 2,5 and 9 although they all mean something to me. My partner passed away last June 2020 of cancer at the age of 49. I miss him with every breath I take. Grief is weighing especially heavy today so I’m glad I found this site. Thank you.
Vanessa
— Vanessa Black
Ruby, I am wishing you comfort and peace this holiday season as you grieve such a deep loss. My heart is with you. May grace find you.
— Jennifer Williamson
Becky, I am deeply sorry for your loss. I can only imagine the pain you’ve had to carry this year, trying to hold it all together for your little one. May you feel loved and supported through the end of this year and into the next. May you find peace in small moments. <3
— Jennifer Williamson
I lost my husband on May 8th, 2020.
These are my top picks where I am today.
2, 8, 18 and 20.
They are so enlightening.
— Ruby Hammer
2. “When we lose someone we love we must learn not to live without them, but to live with the love they left behind.” –Unknown
It is a very hard year. Losing my husband to GBM Brain Cancer on April 1st. Compounded by COVID and my family all restricted on traveling to the US from Canada… Trying to stay sane for my 7 year old. (Whom turned 7 on April 2nd…and is the adopted grandson of my husband…he already lost one set of parents in his short life and now his daddy.)
— Becky