No human is above grief and feeling intense loss can take even the strongest to an isolating state. To describe grief, it’s like “losing a part of yourself”. Life with grief will never be exactly as it was, but with time, it won’t always hurt as much as it does in the beginning. You don’t have to move on and forget as grief is an invisible wound that others don’t see. To treat the “invisible” wound, you can seek therapy or find a well-chosen quote that can serve as a reminder that “you with grief” is no less than “you without grief”.
We have made a list of grief quotes from the words of famous writers, poets, and musicians. Each quote brings a unique perspective on coping with loss, remembering those who are gone, and finding your way through grief. While these quotes won’t erase the pain, they can bring some understanding of your pain.
Grief comes in many forms. The loss of a loved one, a pet, or something deeply meaningful in life can hurt equally. The emotions of grief can pour out in different ways. You may experience a range of feelings like denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and eventually, acceptance. (We have also given ways to cope with grief if you’re interested, so read it)
Explore our collection of the most meaningful quotes about grief and healing. Take a moment to reflect on these quotes as some might serve as the words you need in this difficult time:
Quotes to Overcome Grief
- “I guess by now I should know enough about loss to realize that you never really stop missing someone-you just learn to live around the huge gaping hole of their absence.” Alyson Noel, Evermore
- “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
- “I could only be grateful when I realized that I would rather have known you for a moment than never at all. I would rather endure this inexplicable pain of outliving you than to have never seen your face, spoken your name. I would rather be yours, you be mine, regardless. Regardless of the sorrow, the sleepless nights, and the years I will walk this earth, carrying you in my heart.” Lexi Berhndt, Scribbles and Crumbs
- “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only option.” Bob Marley
- “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
- “Sometimes the healing hurts more than the wound.” Unknown
- “Every time you were convinced you couldn’t go on, you did.”
- “I could only be grateful when I realized that I would rather have known you for a moment than never at all. I would rather endure this inexplicable pain of outliving you than to have never seen your face, spoken your name. I would rather be yours, you be mine, regardless. Regardless of the sorrow, the sleepless nights, and the years I will walk this earth, carrying you in my heart.” Lexi Berhndt, Scribbles and Crumbs
- “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only option.” Bob Marley
- “Moving on, as a concept, is for stupid people, because any sensible person knows grief is a long-term project. I refuse to rush. The pain that is thrust upon us let no man slow or speed or fix.” Max Porter, Grief is the Thing with Feathers
Quotes on Loss
- “When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.” Author unknown
- The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living.” Marcus Tullius Cicero
- “You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present.” Jan Gildwell
- “For as long as the world spins and the earth is green with new wood, she will lie in this box and not in my arms.” Lurlene McDaniel
- “There will be a time for figuring out how to move forward. But for now, it’s enough to be still, to process, to gather our strength. To wait for hope.” Keely Chace
- “When someone you love dies, and you're not expecting it, you don't lose her all at once; you lose her in pieces over a long time – the way the mail stops coming, and her scent fades from the pillows and even from the clothes in her closet and drawers. Gradually, you accumulate the parts of her that are gone. Just when the day comes – when there's a particular missing part that overwhelms you with the feeling that she's gone, forever – there comes another day, and another specifically missing part.” John Irving
- “A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again.” Maya Angelou
- “Sometimes, only one person is missing, and the whole world seems depopulated.” Alphonse de Lamartine, Méditations Poétiques
- “Tears shed for another person are not a sign of weakness. They are a sign of a pure heart.” José N. Harris, Mi Vida: A Story of Faith, Hope and Love
- “If you have a sister and she dies, do you stop saying you have one? Or are you always a sister, even when the other half of the equation is gone?” Jodi Picoult, My Sister’s Keeper
Poetic Grief quotes
- What is grief if not love persevering – Vision, Wandavision
- “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, Angel
- “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.” From a headstone in Ireland
- “You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair.” Old Chinese proverb
- “As long as I can I will look at this world for both of us. As long as I can I will laugh with the birds, I will sing with the flowers, I will pray to the stars, for both of us.” Sascha
- “When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.” Kahlil Gibran
- “Your memory feels like home to me. So whenever my mind wanders, it always finds its way back to you.” Ranata Suzuki
- “Grief can be the garden of compassion. If you keep your heart open through everything, your pain can become your greatest ally in your life’s search for love and wisdom.” Rumi
- “The culmination of love is grief and yet we love despite the inevitable. We open our hearts to it… To grieve deeply is to have loved fully. Open your heart to the world as you have opened it to me and you will find every reason to keep living in it.” Faye, God of War: Ragnarok (Video Game)
- “Grieving is a necessary passage and a difficult transition to finally letting go of sorrow – it is not a permanent rest stop.” Dodinsky
Healing Grief Quotes
- “I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil.” J.R.R. Tolkien
- “Tears have a wisdom all their own. They come when a person has relaxed enough to let go and to work through his sorrow. They are the natural bleeding of an emotional wound, carrying the poison out of the system. Here lies the road to recovery.” F. Alexander Magoun
- “Sometimes it’s okay if the only thing you did today was breathe.” Yumi Sakugawa
- “Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.” Dr. Seuss
- “It has been said, ‘time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.” Rose Kennedy
- “Grief fills the room up of my absent child. Lies in his bed, walks up and down with me. Puts on his pretty looks, repeats his words. Remembers me of all his gracious parts. Stuffs out his vacant garments with his form. Then, have I reason to be fond of grief.” Shakespeare
- “Grief can be a burden, but also an anchor. You get used to the weight, how it holds you in place.” Sarah Dessen, The Truth About Forever
- “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
- “Nothing that grieves us can be called little; by the external laws of proportion a child's loss of a doll and a king's loss of a crown are events of the same size.” Mark Twain, ‘Which Was The Dream?'
- “If you've got to my age, you've probably had your heart broken many times. So it's not that difficult to unpack a bit of grief from some little corner of your heart and cry over it.” Emma Thompson
Grief Quotes for Missing Someone
- ”I would recognize you in total darkness, were you mute and I deaf. I would recognize you in another lifetime entirely, in different bodies, different times. And I would love you in all of this, until the very last star in the sky burnt out into oblivion”. Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles
- “Grief is like a moving river, it's always changing. I would say in some ways it just gets worse. It's just that the more time that passes, the more you miss someone.” Michelle Williams
- “I’ll be seeing you. In all the old familiar places. That this heart of mine embraces. All day through.” Billie Holiday, “I’ll Be Seeing You”
- “We do not have to rely on memories to recapture the spirit of those we have loved and lost – they live within our souls in some perfect sanctuary which even death cannot destroy.” Nan Witcomb
- “What they never tell you about grief is that missing someone is the simple part.” Gail Caldwell
- “Without you in my arms, I feel an emptiness in my soul. I find myself searching the crowds for your face – I know it's an impossibility, but I cannot help myself.” Nicholas Sparks
- “As far as I can see, grief will never truly end. It may become softer over time, more gentle, but some days will feel sharp, but grief will last as long as love does— forever. It’s simply the way the absence of your loved one manifests in your heart. A deep longing, accompanied by the deepest love. Some days, the heavy fog may return, and the next day, it may recede, once again. It’s all an ebb and flow, a constant dance of sorrow and joy, pain and sweet love.” Lexi Berhndt, Scribbles and Crumbs
- “Only time and tears take away grief; that is what they are for.” Terry Pratchett, I Shall Wear Midnight
- “It’s so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone.” John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent
- “The fear of loss . . . it can destroy you as much as the loss itself.” Sarah J. Maas, Empire of Storms
Short Grief Quotes For Loved Ones
- “Come back. Even as a shadow, even as a dream.” Euripides
- “We get no choice. If we love, we grieve.” Thomas Lynch
- “Grief changes shape, but it never ends.” Keanu Reeves
- “No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear.” C.S Lewis
- “Say not in grief ‘he is no more' but live in thankfulness that he was.” Hebrew proverb
- “Mourning with you, praying for you, and rejoicing that a beloved soul is now at peace.” Melvina Young
- “Grief does not change you. It reveals you.” John Green
- “May love be what you remember most.” Darcie Sims
- “The whole world can become the enemy when you lose what you love.” Kristina McMorris
- “Grief is the price we pay for love.” Colin Murray Parkes
How to Work Through Your Grief?
Grief isn’t something you can simply ignore or push away. It’s not just an abstract concept, but a real, deeply personal experience. So, “just staying strong” isn’t what you should be doing. You need to grieve to get to the healing process. The process is different for everyone as some people express their grief through tears, while others may not cry at all. The good thing is that grief has no set timeline, so try these comfortable tips that may help you get started with the healing process:
Do Introspection on Grief
Many refer to the “five stages of grief” to understand their own pain. Just know that these stages don’t always come in a set order. It's not a simple path where you move neatly from one stage to the next. In reality, grief is more complex. You might experience some stages more strongly than others or skip them entirely. But getting to know what you’re feeling can help, so take time to read these 5 stages:
- Denial: When you first lose someone, you might feel disconnected from the reality of it. You might go through your day as if nothing has changed, even though you know deep down that they’re no longer with us. During this, take time off from your routine to fully grasp the loss.
- Anger: Feeling angry after losing someone is a natural part of grieving and perhaps the most raw one. This can come from the unfairness of their death, especially if they passed away too soon. If you feel anger, just know any type of loss is not your fault.
- Bargaining: In this phase, you might find yourself wishing you could go back in time and change things. Whether it's in thoughts or prayers to a higher power, people ask “what if” questions, hoping they could somehow change the loss. Write down your thoughts or prayers as it can help vent these feelings.
- Depression: This stage represents the deep sadness and emptiness that many associate with grief. Try engaging in physical activities no matter how hard it is. Take even a few steps a day outdoors.
- Acceptance: Over time, the sharpness of grief may begin to fade. This doesn’t mean forgetting or moving on, but about learning to carry on, even though things will never be the same and that’s alright.
Engage In Physical Activities
C.S. Lewis wrote, “And no one ever told me about the laziness of grief.” This quote has medical backing. According to Harvard Health Research, Grief isn't just an emotional experience, it can have physical symptoms like tiredness, feeling nauseous, a weakened immune system, changes in weight, body aches, and insomnia. Aside from getting enough sleep which is a common tip, here’s how you can overcome grief physically:
- Go on daily walks. Then gradually increase the length of walks.
- As you get used to walking, try stretches and light exercises.
- Do not consume alcohol or drugs to escape grief. Instead try eating healthy meals 4 times a week at least.
- Express your grief physically in a safe and meaningful way. Go to the rage room, rip an old sheet or T-shirt, smash aluminum cans underfoot, or break cheap plates or china (with safety in mind).
- Take time off from work and rest whenever you need to. (You can pick up the slack after you’ve become strong enough to deal with grief)
Get Familiar With Your Grief
The reason we have added quotes on grief is because they can help you get familiar with the grief. During grieving, people struggle to express their grief verbally. So, writing can help. Don’t have the words? Use books and quotes to express difficult emotions that you may be feeling. The above-given quotes can inspire you to write with flow. Additionally, here are the ten best books on grief and overcoming grief:
- The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion.
- Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
- Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
- The Dark Interval by Rainer Maria Rilke
- H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
- It's OK That You're Not OK by Megan Devine
- Broken Open by Elizabeth Lesser
- On earth, we're briefly gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
- Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor E. Frankl
- A Heart That Works, by Rob Delaney
Final Words
Overall, feeling grief can make you think you are alone in this situation. But that’s never true as “There are three needs of the griever: To find the words for the loss, to say the words aloud and to know that the words have been heard.” (Victoria Alexander) Always remind yourself that healing is slow and moving on means you still love your special person's memory. Do not rush it, be gentle to yourself as if you have a wound, and we hope you make it through and see life beyond loss!
FAQs
1. What is a meaningful quote about grief?
“Only time and tears take away grief; that is what they are for.”
2. What should I say when someone passes away?
Here are some short sympathy quotes you can use. “Though they are out of sight, they will always remain in our hearts” can seem heartfelt. But make sure to reach out after a few days to check up on them.
3. Can feelings of grief come back?
Yes, feelings of grief can resurface on the anniversary of your loved one's passing or during other significant moments throughout the year. It doesn't mean you’re weak, it just means your love for them has nowhere to go.
4. What can I say instead of “RIP”?
Here are alternative phrases you can use, “May you find eternal rest”, “Gone but never forgotten”, and “Always in our hearts”.
