I walk along the shore
Crashing waves call to me
Dark and seductive
The sea offers an embrace
Reaching onto stone and sand
And I find myself
Longing both for the safety of the shore
And the quiet of the deep
Grief feels as if you have been swallowed by the sea, no longer in charge of your own fate. You feel truly alone and finding purpose becomes difficult. I did not have the ability to comprehend the depths of my emotions until the loss of my dad. Every feeling I had up until that point was shallow. That grief was like a riptide that pulled me down deeper than I had ever feared. I felt lost in it and consumed by it. Every moment of every day was overshadowed by this grief. I often found myself literally gasping for air and drowning from the loss of him.
These art pieces had Big Sur, California in mind. It is a place where stunning coastlines provide a stark contrast to ferocious waves. It feels similar to the relationship that love and grief have to one another.
Image credit: Custom artwork by the author for this Mosaic in Medicine piece.
Medical Student Contributing Writer, Columnist
University of Utah School of Medicine
Lindsey Nae Wright is a member of the University of Utah School of Medicine class of 2022 and is interested in pursuing a career in Surgery. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Utah in Medical Anthropology and minored in Pediatric Research. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, and practicing yoga. She loves to sample fancy cheese and drink coffee. For her, writing is an important outlet that allows for creativity, making important connections, and processing life-changing moments.
