Over the past 16 years, I have noticed that hospice families deal with the loss of a loved one in a variety of ways. There are those who deeply mourn their loss. And, there are those who were saddened with hope. Both will take you to the same place within your being. Therefore, I do not want to imply that one form of mourning is better than the other.

When a loved one passes away or is near the end of their physical life, families begin to feel lost. The ability to talk to your loved one decreases. The ability to take a walk with him or her fades. The ability to share a meal, a memory, and many other experiences fade into memories of the past. These memories of the past come to life within those who can no longer create new experiences with their loved one who is dying.

This regression to the imagination and the heart reveals experiences that come to life within the soul. Here, souls come together on a journey that has no beginning or end. This part of a relationship is eternal and sacred. They are the moments of inspiration that allow us to form and share a story. As such, a sacred memory becomes a living presence within those who have shared it.

I have noticed two types of grievances when dealing with Hospice families facing the loss of loved ones. One is in mourning. The other is grieved with hope.

Grief is an experience of deep and heartfelt loss. This is a type of grievance that is expressed in the body on an emotional level. The body can turn red, weaken, cry a lot and much more.

It’s good to leave space for deep-seated grievances to air. This cleanses the toxic emotions that need to be expressed through the body. As a person finds expression for their grievance, a sense of relief relaxes the body for a period of time.

Grieving with hope is based on faith. This usually means that a person believes that one day he will meet his loved one again in heaven. This kind of hope can be comforting in the moment. Later, a person may feel the loss of her when her loved one does not return home with her at the time of her death.

While a faith-based grievance has its strength, it doesn’t make everything okay. There is still a feeling of loss on an emotional level. The heart knows that something is different and nothing will ever be the same.

Our bodies were created to express themselves “even” in grievance. In Sacred Texts of many kinds, we find encouragement to find “peace in despair” or “blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.” Both statements reveal a connection to our faith in a higher being who will heal us through the path of loss and onto a sacred journey into the soul where our relationships are eternal.

This journey is through and within the body. It is the journey into the very breath that gives us life and carries us home the moment our bodies release that breath at death. It is a sacred path that leads us to who we really are.

Samuel Oliver, author of “What the Dying Teach Us: Lessons About Life”