Losing a loved one can be one of the most devastating experiences of life. The death of someone we love brings with it so many unanswered questions. Why did this happen? What do I do now? Will the pain ever stop? How can God allow this happen? There is so much confusion, disbelief, anger and pain. Grief is perhaps the most excruciating feeling humans can ever experience.
Grief, in its simplest form, is love that has nowhere to go. We feel grief when we feel our inability to express our love or direct our love to a specific individual. Grief is fierce love that we are unable to give away and as a result, we feel the longing, the ache and the desire. All of the love we have for a lost one is contained within our hearts.
Coping with grief is a difficult journey. Grief refuses to be silenced and ignored. Despite how often we may try to tuck it away, it demands to be heard. Grief is also something we go through alone. No matter how many others are affected by the loss, each person’s grief is their own. The grief cycle is continuous and you can find yourself in different parts of the cycle at different times. One moment you may be angry, the next moment disbelieving. The myths about grief add to our confusion. Does time truly heal all wounds? Can we ever be the same again after suffering such a devastating loss?
The loss of a loved one will not diminish in time. We will not magically bounce back to our former selves. Sure, we will resume our lives and continue on, but a part of us will always ache for our loved one. Grief is not something we get over. We simply learn to coexist with it. We begin to take comfort in the thought of reuniting with our loved ones and keeping their memories alive. We take comfort in the times of joy and look toward a future of hope. Grief accompanies us on this journey of life. It transforms from a piercing pain to a gentle reminder of who we were and who we are today.
Grief seems ugly because it is a reminder of what we have lost. But in truth, grief is perhaps the most vulnerable side of our love. If you have suffered a loss, give yourself permission to grieve. Grant yourself the space needed to acknowledge your grief. Spend time in the memories of your loved one and allow your heart to feel the love it is so desperately needing to feel. Grief does not have to be an ugly sore in our lives. It can be become a part of our journey, one marked with not only the pain of our loss but the hope of a future soon to be realized.
If you need help navigating the journey of grief, please give us a call at 704-595-3544.