Portrait of Tenzin by Wanyi Huang

It has been a week (two weeks for Common Art and Emmanuel Cafe) of my not seeing people in the group because of the holiday and a cold.  During this short absence from the groups, I got a notification about the sudden loss of our long-term “artist in the kitchen,” Tenzin.

I am thinking about the connections between people and me, the experience of loss, and the available place of grief. I know these topics seem like a broad and never-ending speech, but it happens to our community so often. The pain of grief can impact both mental and physical health. Some people might experience difficulty keeping an energy balance, eating, or sleeping.

At this moment, words cannot express my thoughts enough. Therefore, I want to use the art I made this week to express my grateful thoughts for the people we lost in the year. I hope people who passed away rest in peace and that those who still practice living with loss can get a hug, a space to grieve, and all of the support that they need.

Here are the resources that might be helpful:

• articles: https://ala-apa.org/wellness/resources-for-coping-with-grief/
• video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khkJkR-ipfw&ab_channel=TED

– Wanyi Huang