53 Inspirational Healing from a Loss Quotes
Loss is a painful part of life, and as we move through midlife and our senior years we seem to be confronted with death and loss more often. We say goodbye to parents, partners, lifelong friends, and even cherished pets.
Grief is heavy, and there’s no easy way through it. But words can be a comfort. The right quote at the right time can bring a little peace, remind us of love, and help us keep moving forward.
In this article, you’ll find 53 healing from a loss quotes that will offer hope, understanding, and a gentle reminder when you need words of wisdom. Save this article so you have it when you need it. Sending you hugs!
Inspirational Quotes to Heal Grief
Grief is different for everyone, but one thing is true—it takes time. Some days are easier than others, and sometimes, a few simple words can help lighten the weight of loss.
As someone who enjoys quotes and words of wisdom, I have gotten through some of my most difficult losses with the help of quotes. I’ve lost both of my parents in midlife and found great comfort in words.
These inspirational healing from a loss quotes offer wisdom and comfort as you walk the path of healing.
1. The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not ‘get over’ the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered.” — Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
2. “Anyone who has lost something they thought was theirs forever finally comes to realize that nothing really belongs to them.” — Paulo Coelho
3. “Grief does not change you, (…) It reveals you.” — John Green, ‘The Fault of Our Stars’
4. “Grief is the price we pay for love.” — Queen Elizabeth II
5. “Tears shed for another person are not a sign of weakness. They are a sign of a pure heart.” — Jose N. Harris
6. “To weep is to make less the depth of grief.” — William Shakespeare
7. “There is a sacredness in tears. They are not a mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition and of unspeakable love.” — Washington Irving
8. “The sad ones are those who waste their energy in trying to hold it back, for they can only feel bitterness in loss and no joy in gain.” — John Steinbeck
9. “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.” — Dr. Seuss
10. “We bereaved are not alone. We belong to the largest company in all the world – the company of those who have known suffering.” — Helen Keller
11. “Grief has its own time frame. It has its own itinerary with you. It has its own power over you, and it will come when it comes.” — Elizabeth Gilbert
12. “Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.” — J. K. Rowling
13. “There is no grief like the grief that does not speak.” — Henry Wadsworth
14. “You will survive, and you will find purpose in the chaos. Moving on doesn’t mean letting go.” — Mary VanHaute
15. “The song is ended but the melody lingers on.” — Irving Berlin
16. “When someone you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure.” — Anonymous
17. “It’s possible to go on, no matter how impossible it seems, and that in time, the grief … lessens. It may not go away completely, but after a while, it’s not so overwhelming.” —Nicholas Spark
18. “Grief can be a burden, but also an anchor. You get used to the weight, how it holds you in place.” — Sarah Dessen
19. “Only time and tears take away grief; that is what they are for.” — Terry Pratchett
20. “Grief is like the ocean; It comes in waves; ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.“ — Vicki Harrison
21. “Sometimes all you can do is lie in bed and hope to fall asleep before you fall apart.” — William C. Hannan
22. “I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil.” — J.R.R. Tolkien
23. “The weird, weird thing about devastating loss is that life actually goes on. When you’re faced with a tragedy, a loss so huge that you have no idea how you can live through it, somehow, the world keeps turning, the seconds keep ticking.” — James Patterson
24. “Moving on, as a concept, is for stupid people. Because any sensible person knows grief is a long-term project. I refuse to rush. Let no man slow, speed, or fix.” — Max Porter
25. “No matter how long it’s been, there are times when it suddenly becomes harder to breathe.” — Anonymous
26. “The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing … not healing, not curing… that is a friend who cares”. — Henri Nouwen
27. “We all want to do something to mitigate the pain of loss or to turn grief into something positive, to find a silver lining in the clouds. But I believe there is real value in just standing there, being still, being sad.” — John Green
28. “Tears are the silent language of grief.” — Voltaire
29. “Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals them.” — Leo Tolstoy
30. “And when great souls die, after a period peace blooms, slowly and always irregularly. Spaces fill with a kind of soothing electric vibration. Our senses, restored, never to be the same, whisper to us. They existed. They existed. We can be. Be and be better. For they existed. — Maya Angelou
31. To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” — Thomas Campbell
32. “We never lose our loved ones. They accompany us; they don’t disappear from our lives. We are merely in different rooms.” — Paulo Coelho
33. “May there be comfort in knowing that someone so special will never be forgotten.” — Julie Hebert
34. “Grief is tidal. In time, it can recede and leave us with feelings of peace and advancement, only for it to wash back in with all its crushing hopelessness and sorrow.” — Nick Cave
35. “Although it’s difficult today to see beyond the sorrow, May looking back in memory help comfort you tomorrow.” — Author Unknown
36. “Grief is itself a medicine.” — William Cowper
37. “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.” — Unknown
Healing After Loss Quotes by Martha Whitmore Hickman
Martha Whitmore Hickman (1925-2015) was a writer and spiritual thinker who understood the deep pain of loss. Her 16-year old daughter died during a Colorado family vacation, when the teen fell off a horse and died.
As a way of dealing with her grief, Whitmore turned to writing. Her book Healing After Loss: Daily Meditations for Working Through Grief has been a source of comfort for more than a million people.
Whitmore’s words remind us that healing happens slowly, in small moments, and that grief, though painful, is a part of love.
Her healing from a loss quotes offer gentle reassurance that it’s okay to feel everything—sadness, longing, even moments of joy—because they are all part of the journey.
38. “The greatest tribute to the dead is not grief but gratitude.” — Martha Whitmore Hickman
39. “Sometimes the long view is not what I need. I need this moment, without hostage to past or future, experienced for itself alone.”
― Martha Whitmore Hickman
40. “Somehow we feel the earth should stop spinning and acknowledge our grief.” ― Martha Whitmore Hickman
41. “It is a bittersweet joy, but real nonetheless—the way our lost loves are forever in our hearts and minds. They are, in fact, constant to our consciousness in a way they couldn’t be when they were alive, because then we depended on their comings and goings—the highs and lows of their being with us, the vagaries of presence and convenience. But…”
—Martha Whitmore Hickman
42. “Though the loved one has died, the memory, the sense of the person’s presence, has not—nor the possibility, after a while, of taking continuing joy not only in the reminiscences from the past, but in the extension of the person’s spirit into our ongoing lives.” ― Martha Whitmore Hickman
43. “Nothing could stop you. Not the best day. Not the quiet. Not the ocean rocking. You went on with your dying. —” ― Martha Whitmore Hickman
Grief Quotes: The Price You Pay for Love
Grief and love are forever linked. We grieve because we love, and even in loss, that love doesn’t fade.
These grief quotes capture the connection between love and sorrow, reminding us that though someone may be gone, love remains.
44. “The pain of grief is just as much part of life as the joy of love; it is perhaps the price we pay for love, the cost of commitment.” — Jodi Picoult
45. “Grief never ends, but it changes. It’s a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith. It is the price of love.” — @healingafteraloss
46. “Grief is not a disorder, a disease or a sign of weakness. It is an emotional, physical, and spiritual necessity, the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve.” — Earl Grollman
47. “Grief and love are forever intertwined. Grief is the terrible reminder of the depths of our love and, like love, grief is non-negotiable.” — Nick Cave
48. “Grief is not a sign of weakness. It is an emotional, physical, and spiritual necessity, the price you pay for love.” — Earl Grollman
49. Grief, I’ve learned is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give, but cannot. All 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 just love with no place to go.” — Jamie Anderson
50. “Grief is the last act of love we can give to those we loved. Where there is deep grief, there was great love.” — Anonymous
51. “So it’s true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love.” — E.A. Bucchianeri
52. “Life is full of grief, to exactly the degree we allow ourselves to love other people.” — Orson Scott Card
53. “Life is full of grief, to exactly the degree we allow ourselves to love other people.” — Orson Scott
Healing from a Loss Quotes: How to Use Them
Here are a few ways to use these healing from a loss quotes and comforting words of wisdom:
- Write your favorite quotes in a journal as a daily reflection.
- Read the list of quotes when you’re feeling down.
- Share a quote with a friend who is grieving.
- Keep a favorite on your phone as a reminder that healing is possible.
- Write your favorite quote on a sticky note and post it in a prominent place where you’ll see it often.
- Use them in a memorial or tribute to honor a loved one.
Let these words be a small source of strength as you navigate grief and healing.
Does the Pain of Loss Ever Go Away?
The pain of loss is a deeply personal experience, and its trajectory varies for each individual. Even my own sister and I grieved our parents in different ways and on separate timelines.
However, we allow grief to coexist with moments of joy and meaning. We have life to live with our remaining loved ones—we have grandchildren that brighten our lives and husbands who love us deeply.
Over time, the intensity of our grief may lessen, and we discover ways to engage with life more fully. Tears may come at the least expected times, but we keep living in our grief.
It’s important to recognize that grief doesn’t follow a linear timeline. Feelings of sadness can resurface unexpectedly, triggered by memories, anniversaries, or significant life events. This ebb and flow is a natural aspect of the grieving process. Usually, grief remains but softens over time.
Seeking support through counseling or support groups can be beneficial in navigating grief. Sharing experiences with others who have faced similar losses can also provide comfort and understanding.
Final Thoughts
I hope you’ve found some grief support in these inspirational quotes about loss. For some people, grief never fully goes away but time usually helps heal the pain.
With time, support, and self-compassion, you should be able to find a way to live with the memory of your loved one and new joys that bring you happiness.
Related Articles:
- Grief is Just Love with No Place to Go: An Analysis
- 31 Powerful Journaling Prompts for Healing & Recovery
Love to ALL! ~ Susan
