Grief is a fickle emotion. I’ve had two others in my life recently share that thought in different ways.

Yesterday as I spoke to my brother-in-law about his mother, who is in very serious condition due to illness, I thought about grief. My husband and I walked a similar road with a close loved one. After the telephone call, my heart hurt for my sister and brother-in-law. And then it happened – sympathy grief pains. Suddenly I all-too-easily remembered the ache of sadness and deep grief. And then, within minutes, the wave subsided. As I write now, I feel it again.

Grief is an enigma of an emotion.