I felt the need to gather positive thoughts fairly early in my grieving. The old expression “Feather Your Nest” kept coming to mind, so I composed this little poem to express my feelings.

Feather a nest where your heart can rest
Lined with blessings soft as down.
Moisten with tears over the years
You are never truly alone.

As I wrote the poem, I remembered a small nest I’d had leftover from a craft project years before. After covering a canvas square with golden papers, I glued the nest in place. I tore “feathers” from soft handmade paper, writing a wish for inspiration on each one. After sewing a heart from felt, I set it in the center of the nest.

Creating this piece was very comforting and helped me envision the qualities I needed to heal. It reminded me to focus on the blessings I hoped to receive, invited me to be patient, and encouraged me to seek what I longed for. Most importantly, it reminded me that there is promise even in the midst of grief.