On 'Grief and Acceptance'

There was one woman, named Gotami, whose child had just died. She was so sad that she became crazy. She went everywhere trying to bring her child back to life. Her friends felt sorry for her and said, "Gotami, you should go and see the Buddha. Perhaps he can help you. She went before Buddha still holding her child in her arms. "Please bring him back to life for me," she cried. Very gently Buddha answered her, " I can help you, Gotami, but first you must bring me something. I need some water. However, it must come from a house where no one has ever died."

Gotami quickly went out in search of water from such house. She asked many homes where no one has ever died. At the end of the day she returned to the Buddha. "What have you found, Gotami?" he asked. "Where is your water?" She answered, "Buddha, today I have discovered that I am not the only one who has lost a loved one. I see my foolish. I have accepted his death, and this afternoon I buried him."