Grief is a maze, both dark and wide,
Winding paths where tears reside.
Shadows linger, doubts appear,
Yet I press on despite the fear.

Through tangled turns and weary days,
A fond remembrance finds its way.
Each memory like a candle glows,
A breeze of love still gently blows.

Though absence aches and seasons change,
The heart still holds what time reclaims.
In laughter, echoes, joys, and pains,
Their presence lingers, love remains.

With gentle steps and quiet grace,
We learn to live, we find our place.
Not rushed, but given time and space,
To heal, to hope, to trust, to face.

And when the road feels long and steep,
May faith sustain, may mercy keep.
For though the night seems void and deep,
Love never fades, nor falls asleep.

(Barry Howard is a retired pastor who serves as a leadership coach and columnist with the Center for Healthy Churches. He and his wife reside on Cove Creek in northeast Alabama.)