How do I grieve the life I had before my chronic illness diagnosis?

Mirabai knew about loss—she lost her family, her reputation, her claim to a normal life. What she found was that grief doesn't have an expiration date, and pretending you're fine only delays it. The life you had before is real to mourn. The energy you had, the plans, the person you thought you'd be—these matter. You don't have to choose between accepting your illness and grieving what's changed. Both can be true at once. Let yourself feel angry at the unfairness. Feel sad when you remember things you used to do without thinking. This isn't self-pity; it's honesty. Mirabai's devotion deepened precisely because she stopped performing acceptance and started examining what was actually breaking inside her. The examined heart is the honest one. Some days you'll be okay with your new limitations. Some days you won't be. Both days are valid. What matters is not rushing past the grief—sitting with it long enough to understand what it's teaching you about what you truly love, what matters most, and who you're becoming in this body, right now.