Posts
Grief is the human process we will all experience.
You do have a choice in how you handle your grief. Know that it is not a race, you need to find your own pace.
Grief comes in waves, from very intense to manageable we just ride the wave.
Anger, rage, fear, dread and guilt may pay us a visit. It's okay, we must feel those feelings as much as it may hurt. It is a normal way your body will process the grief. So this is a reminder to not prevent yourself from these feelings but to be compassionate with yourself - reach out for support, let yourself be nurtured.
| Love is a gift. It makes you feel richer, deeper, and brighter. When a loved one is gone, taken, it feels like the gift is gone. Remember that you are a different person because of their love. You would be another you if their soul hadn't graced your life. Although you long for their physical form, remember that the gift -- their love -- remains with you now and forever. ~Grieving Mothers |
*****
This photo from another friend "spoke" to me. I feel she, like me, is lost sometimes. That she is afraid to speak her mind...out of fear, confusion or just her grief. Will she be comforted when she speaks or told to "grow up and get over it." Will her words be truthful or what others are expecting to hear? The person inside her heart is always with her. Pushing her forward...yet holding her back. Her eyes are peacefully closed as memories of the past and lost hopes for the future keep her bound and unable to freely move in her present.
~Writing Through Your Grief
*****
A broken heart is like broken ribs. You can't see the damage, but every breath hurts.
~L.D.P., a grieving mother
*****
Losing someone you love is painful. On that very moment you hear the news, your life is forever changed. Dealing with the physical and emotional loss leaves (you) feeling (you) are the only one in the world who is experiencing this much sadness. Following the death of my son, I retreated inward. Scared from the feelings I was having inside, I thought if I spoke with anyone about my emotions they would think I was crazy.
For probably the first year or so I was afraid of the world. I kept my other kids close and made very few friends out of fear they could not be trusted. I decided I would keep my pain inside and "deal with it"
...That is until I attended a conference for grieving people.
Listening to the other men and women sharing their stories I found myself saying "I thought I was the only one who felt that way". Sharing my story made it easier to bare, hearing others say what helped with their grief, help(ed) me with mine. I came to believe I had found my "Kindred Spirits." In an informal way, this term has come to mean someone you feel a connection with, or someone who understands you. These new friends seemed to share my goals of getting through every day and finding a way to keep the memory of my son alive.
The Urban Dictionary describes Kindred Spirits as "people that make a special connection by sharing a bond that has joined them by the means of an experience that has drawn them together on a higher level of consciousness. This connection can be from the same experience at the same time or two separate experiences similar in nature."
Working as a counselor for my local hospice I have seen the benefit of support groups: Seeing strangers meet on the first night and watching the(m) share, cry, grow and leave the group exchanging phone numbers or email addresses with a new friend who understands what you are going through.
Retreats come in all forms including some that promise to pamper the body, but Grieving in Plain Sight is designed to not only pamper your body, but to pamper your heart and mind as well. The companionship, the stories, the tips and suggestions learned will help those grieving no matter how long it has been. The phrase "you can't take care of others until you take care of yourself" has never been more appropriate than when it comes to calming the emotions of grief in your heart. Talking with others has helped me and if you attend a retreat it may help you too.
~Writing Through Your Grief
*****
Never compare your journey with someone else's. Someone else may start out faster than you, may seem to progress more quickly than you, but your journey is your journey. Its not a competition.
~Writing Through Your Grief
*****
1 comment:
Post a Comment