Grief is love with no place to go

I met my friend Jeff when he was freshly out of a failed marriage and so was I. We bonded over that shared grief and quickly developed one of those rare friendships that feels as though it has always been a part of your life. He was, and still is, the big brother I never had. We have seen each other through heartaches, health scares, moving, betrayals, marriages, births and deaths.  We have traveled out of the country together, threatened people for each other, helped each other through difficult times. He has taken me on terrifying/exciting motorcycle rides and gone diving for deep sea treasures for my children. I have sat in a hospital waiting room while he had cancer-related surgery. In short, this bond runs deep. As always, without me having to ask, he provides me with what I need to hear. Last night, after he found out about the devastating loss of my dog Oliver, I received a text from him, all the way from the Cayman Islands:

"Grief, I've learned, is really just love. It's all the love you want to give but cannot. All of that unspent love gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in that hollow part of your chest. Grief is jut love with no place to go."

No, he didn't write that, but he knew I needed to hear it. I have been so touched by all of the love and support from our friends, overwhelmed by the outpouring of heartfelt condolences. And this quote sums it up perfectly. I can't write much more right now because it hurts too much, but I needed to put some words down on paper to begin to express my grief. Thank you to all of you who have reached out. I am not in a good place right now, truly I am not. I will not pretend like I'm ok. But I will be, and it is because of all the love we are receiving.