Acceptance, not just a state of mind

Acceptance is a challenging thing because so often it's associated with failure in our society but I find that the more I accept who I am and the situations in my life the more peace accures as a result.
Acceptance does not mean giving up on yourself or letting things be status quo, for me, it means understanding where things currently stand and therefore accessing steps to move forward, heal and overall gain confidence to live, be and ultimately love.  I lost my mom and grand parents before my 20th birthday and I can't say that I have ever gotten over it.  I just accepted the fact that they had passed on and that I had embraced their legacy and cherish the memories as their energies were not part of the eternal.  I don't think it takes the pain or sadness away but it helps put things in perspective because death is not something any of us can control.  Death of a relationship although not as harsh as death of a person is also about acceptance that things are not the way they used to be and yet one has to move on with their journey.  By accepting, I liberated myself from the burden of doubt and fear and embraced the legacy this relationship has giving me.  I am a better person because of it.