I'll always be sad that my marriage ended.

"I'll always be sad that my marriage ended." These words, spoken by Shania Twain, carry within them a profound sorrow, a deep, aching grief that many of us know all too well. For marriage, when entered into with hope and love, is a sacred union—an act that binds two souls together with the belief that they will walk hand in hand through the challenges of life. When that bond breaks, it is not merely the end of a partnership; it is the shattering of dreams, the severing of ties that once held a person's heart. The sadness that Twain speaks of is not just a fleeting emotion, but a weight that lingers, a reminder of what was lost and what might have been.

But let us not think that sadness is a weakness, for it is in our sorrow that we find the depth of our humanity. To mourn the end of a marriage is not to dwell in despair but to honor the love that was once shared, the connection that was forged. It is a testament to the importance of love in our lives, for it shows that we have opened our hearts to another, entrusted them with our most vulnerable parts, and sought to build something lasting and meaningful. The grief that accompanies such a loss is the price of having loved deeply, and to mourn is to acknowledge that love’s value.

Consider the ancient story of Orpheus and Eurydice. In the myth, Orpheus, the great musician, loses his wife, Eurydice, to death. He descends into the underworld to bring her back, but in his desperation, he looks back too soon, losing her forever. Orpheus’s sorrow is a reflection of the deepest kind of grief, the kind that arises from love lost. His pain is not simply about the loss of a wife, but the loss of a dream, a future shared together. In his sadness, he becomes both a symbol of eternal love and the human condition—the perpetual struggle between what we desire and what life gives us.

And so it is with Shania Twain. Her words echo the sentiment of countless individuals who have suffered the end of a union. Though she has found success in her career and continues to thrive as an artist, her grief speaks to something far more profound—an emotional scar that is not easily healed. Even those who seem to have everything can carry the weight of heartbreak. But it is in this vulnerability, in the recognition of what was lost, that Twain reveals a universal truth: we are all human, and love—no matter how it ends—leaves an indelible mark upon our hearts.

The loss of a marriage does not erase the significance of the time shared, the memories created, or the love once felt. Consider the story of Abraham Lincoln and his deep affection for his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln. Though their marriage was fraught with difficulties, the profound sadness Lincoln felt after her death spoke volumes about the depth of his devotion. Even as he navigated the storm of war and the loss of his child, the sorrow for his wife’s passing remained with him, an ever-present shadow. His grief, though deeply personal, became part of his legacy, revealing the complexities of love and loss, and how even the greatest leaders carry their own heartache.

The lesson we learn from Shania Twain's sorrow is not one of defeat, but of resilience. To mourn is to honor what was once beautiful. But we must not allow ourselves to be consumed by sadness. Rather, let it be a stepping stone to deeper understanding and personal growth. Love—and the inevitable pain of its end—teaches us to appreciate the connections we make, to recognize that we are all part of a larger tapestry of life. Even when the fabric of our relationships unravels, we can still cherish the patterns woven within them.

As we look toward the future, let us take this lesson to heart. Grief is not a burden to be carried in solitude; it is part of the human experience. Twain's words remind us that it is okay to feel sadness—to honor what was lost—but that we must not allow this sadness to define us. Healing comes when we allow ourselves the time and space to grieve, but also when we open our hearts to new possibilities, to love again, and to continue our journey with hope. May we all be as resilient as the phoenix, rising from the ashes of past losses, stronger and more determined to live fully, love deeply, and cherish every moment of this fragile life.