“Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.” — Socrates
Grief can steal the sense of wonder from the world. Many grieving parents stop noticing beauty, because beauty hurts. A sunset becomes a reminder of absence. A child’s laughter pierces instead of heals. The mind asks impossible questions. Wonder fades beneath the weight of longing. But sometimes, without warning, a flicker of awe returns. A flower blooms in a crack on the sidewalk. A bird lands quietly near your window. Something unexpected opens the heart, even if only for a moment. That moment holds the seed of wisdom.
Grieving hearts often search for meaning. Questions become louder in the quiet of grief. Why did this happen? How do I survive? The mind struggles, but the soul still feels. When we allow wonder to rise again, even gently, we create space. The smallest curiosity can open a path forward. Wonder asks not for answers, but for presence. Wonder invites us to see again. A grieving parent who learns to wonder again begins to live differently. That small shift becomes part of healing.
Wisdom does not come from forgetting. Wisdom rises from walking through the pain and remaining open. Parents who grieve have seen what many cannot imagine. That pain, held with tenderness, becomes sacred wisdom. Wonder does not replace sorrow. Wonder walks beside sorrow, pointing to what still breathes. Even in brokenness, there is room for surprise. Even in despair, a moment of wonder can remind us that we are still alive. That reminder matters.
Thought for today: Allow wonder to find you, even in grief. The beginning of healing often begins with noticing something small.