Why are we so afraid to express our feelings? What prevents us from releasing our pain, our sorrow? Sadly, we live in a society that inhibits us, unless of course we are feeling happy, and have no cares in the world. But even when we are feeling elated, we keep those emotions at bay as well. Are we so afraid of letting others know how we feel, that we forget to feel.
Grief tugs at all those societal taboos that we have learned or experienced. In grief the heeling begins when we start to share our story, when we allow the emotions to run their course. Suppressing them only adds to our pain, and in time, whether we like it or not, they rear their ugly head, forcing us to face them.
In the early days of my grief, I tried to remain strong, keeping it together. At first it wasn't too difficult, after all the shock I was experiencing kept me safely cocooned from the harsh reality. But eventually that too went away, and I was left standing at a precipice trying to decide which way to turn. Where could I hide? What could I do to escape this pain? So many choices, so much to deal with. After weeks of uncertainty and confusion, I began to give in to the emotions that would not relent. Slowly at first, trying to control them, allowing (so I thought) the tears to fall only when no one was looking. It became quite evident early on that this was impossible. My emotions would flood over me, taking all my willpower with them, leaving me in an exhausted heap of tears. To tired to fight, I would succumb to these "bouts" of uncontrollable tears, rage, quilt, and every other emotion that one could think of. I felt like one big jumbled up mess.
But what I did not realize at the time, was that my body was doing what it needed to make sense of my new reality. By allowing myself to release those emotions I was keeping locked up inside me, I was allowing myself to begin to heal. Each new tear that fell, each moment of speaking my thoughts and fears, and every time I allowed my body to succumb to the emotional roller coaster, brought me closer to healing. It was not a continuous healing process, there where many, many days where I felt I was slipping backward, as if everything was beginning a new. It was as if I feared if I "got better" I would forget Rachel, after all she had died, and I had no right to be happy again, to laugh again, to enjoy simple things again.
Yet I did feel moments of happiness, especially when looking at photographs and recalling the times when Rachel had brought so much joy and happiness into my life. At first foreign sounding to my ears, laughter did return, aided by remembering those moments that Rachel would make us all laugh until our sides would hurt. Yes, with these memories tears would flow, but it was the memories, the reminders of a life lived that helped me move in a new direction; a new life without Rachel physically in it. Like the releasing and sharing of my feelings and emotions, the memories too, helped me heal. They helped me to accept the reality that had become my life, helped me to let go of her death and truly grasp onto what her life had meant to me, to my family and to all who had been privileged to know her.
Speaking Rachel's name, and hearing it spoken, was music to my ears. This simple gesture, helped ease my fears that she would be forgotten. Finding individuals that not only allowed me to cry, but allowed me to share her story, my story, helped me make sense of it all. There is a wonderful quote that I came upon just recently that sums up this last statement so well: "A friend who understands your tears is much more valuable than a lot of friends who only know your smile." (Lessons Learned in Life) Grief is not a journey that we must travel alone, finding others who give us the space we need to express ourselves, to cry without trying to stop us, and to simply hold our hands when no words can be spoken, is truly an asset.
Many of us may not have someone whom we feel we can be candid with, or comfortable enough to lay bare our vulnerability, your task is to seek out someone who will. There are so many ways we can find help. There are counselors and grief therapists, support groups and local faith communities that are available. If you cannot find a local group, there are so many online communities that have ongoing forums and chat groups. Speak to your primary care physician, he or she can direct you and help you find what you need. Your local hospitals and hospice agencies may also be a source of information. The important thing to remember here is that we only can begin to heal when we begin to express our emotions, share our story, talk about our loved one, and allow the tears (or what ever emotions that well up) to flow.
There are so many of us who have experienced the death of a loved one, who are willing to listen, or to simply just sit for a while, to be a presence and a beacon of hope. Individuals who serve as proof that this storm will pass, that we will make it through that rocky shore, and find ourselves standing once again in a place of peace and calm. A place where we will embrace the life that our loved one possessed and the gifts that they brought into ours. A place where we have a keen awareness of their presence in our lives, and can feel their love wrapping us in a warm embrace, letting us know that they are still with us. Love has a beautiful way of reminding us that no matter what events take place in our lives, what upheavals may occur, we are gifts to each other. Love conquers all, and it is because of love that we hurt, that we feel, but I would not trade anything in this world for the love I felt and still feel for Rachel and all my deceased loved ones. Nor would any of you trade what you had with your loved one, their loved filled your life and continues to fill it still.
Let love guide you through this time in your life, and allow yourself to express and share your feelings and emotions. Allow yourself to feel.
Blessings! and until we meet again.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Friday, July 18, 2014
You Should be So Over this By Now.
So many times I am asked the question, "When will I get over this?" With grief, the sadness of losing someone does not completely go away, what we learn however, is to adapt to our new lives. Often I will hear a comment that is worrisome from family or close friends of the griever, they will say something like it has been 6 months already, or it is going on 2 years, they should be totally over this by now.
These comments send a mixed message to the griever, they are left feeling as if something is wrong with them, they can't be normal. How can they be, when everyone that knows them well keeps telling them they should have seriously moved on already. To add to this madness, the griever themselves is already in a whirlwind of confusion, not knowing which way to turn, or how to get a grip on the overwhelming emotions that refuse to subside.
Instead of reducing someones grief to time frames and limits, allow the person who is experiencing the multitude of emotion that rage unbidden, to express themselves, share those feelings, and most importantly to talk about their loved one. One of the greatest fears for those of us who are grieving is that others will forget about the one who died; so hearing his or her name is like a symphony to our ears. Yes it may bring a tear to our eyes, but they are mixed tears, those of missing our loved one and joy in knowing that someone else remembers them.
The main thing to remember is that no two people grieve alike, like snowflakes, we are each very unique. When my daughter, Rachel died my husband and I were like polar opposites, he craved noise and busyness, I longed for the silence. My two other children reacted in their very own unique ways, yet they were both morning the loss of a sibling. But the thing most of us forget is that, yes, the loss may be the same, but the relationship with the deceased and vice versa, was totally unique to them. In the loss of a child, a mother feels empty-armed, as if the baby she carried was whisked away. For the father, there is a need to protect, to fix, to make things right again, and that moves them in different directions. Only when their wife seems to be getting better, do they begin to let the pain in. For those on the outside looking in, it appears as if the father isn't letting go, refusing to move on, and that opens up doors of vulnerability that men are unfamiliar with.
In times of tragedy and death, there will be those who openly express their emotions and feelings, and others who remain stoic, almost uncaring. The world perceives our attachment to our loved one by the way we react. This is so unfair to so many people, not everyone is comfortable openly expressing their feelings and emotions, while others are pouring it all out. Our childhood, how we have watched others deal with loss, also effects are behavior, and is stored away and drawn upon when we are faced with life's crises.
There is no right or wrong way to grieve, there is no starting or stopping points. The key is to express our feelings, to share what we are experiencing, and above all, to speak about our loved ones. We must allow the memories of those we love to carry us into the future; a future where we will be able to laugh again, to find the beauty in nature, and the joy in simple things. And to remember that our loved ones are always with us, watching over us, loving us as they always did.
So allow those tears to flow or not, allow yourself the time you need, take care of yourself by eating properly and getting rest, know that you are not going crazy; you, your mind, heart and body are trying to figure this all out. Be patient with yourself and others, and give yourself the space you need, and do, do the the things that bring you comfort, that help you cope.
And always remember that even though our loved one is no longer with us in this physical world, they remain with us always and that no matter what, their love never dies.
Blessings! and until we meet again.
These comments send a mixed message to the griever, they are left feeling as if something is wrong with them, they can't be normal. How can they be, when everyone that knows them well keeps telling them they should have seriously moved on already. To add to this madness, the griever themselves is already in a whirlwind of confusion, not knowing which way to turn, or how to get a grip on the overwhelming emotions that refuse to subside.
Instead of reducing someones grief to time frames and limits, allow the person who is experiencing the multitude of emotion that rage unbidden, to express themselves, share those feelings, and most importantly to talk about their loved one. One of the greatest fears for those of us who are grieving is that others will forget about the one who died; so hearing his or her name is like a symphony to our ears. Yes it may bring a tear to our eyes, but they are mixed tears, those of missing our loved one and joy in knowing that someone else remembers them.
The main thing to remember is that no two people grieve alike, like snowflakes, we are each very unique. When my daughter, Rachel died my husband and I were like polar opposites, he craved noise and busyness, I longed for the silence. My two other children reacted in their very own unique ways, yet they were both morning the loss of a sibling. But the thing most of us forget is that, yes, the loss may be the same, but the relationship with the deceased and vice versa, was totally unique to them. In the loss of a child, a mother feels empty-armed, as if the baby she carried was whisked away. For the father, there is a need to protect, to fix, to make things right again, and that moves them in different directions. Only when their wife seems to be getting better, do they begin to let the pain in. For those on the outside looking in, it appears as if the father isn't letting go, refusing to move on, and that opens up doors of vulnerability that men are unfamiliar with.
In times of tragedy and death, there will be those who openly express their emotions and feelings, and others who remain stoic, almost uncaring. The world perceives our attachment to our loved one by the way we react. This is so unfair to so many people, not everyone is comfortable openly expressing their feelings and emotions, while others are pouring it all out. Our childhood, how we have watched others deal with loss, also effects are behavior, and is stored away and drawn upon when we are faced with life's crises.
There is no right or wrong way to grieve, there is no starting or stopping points. The key is to express our feelings, to share what we are experiencing, and above all, to speak about our loved ones. We must allow the memories of those we love to carry us into the future; a future where we will be able to laugh again, to find the beauty in nature, and the joy in simple things. And to remember that our loved ones are always with us, watching over us, loving us as they always did.
So allow those tears to flow or not, allow yourself the time you need, take care of yourself by eating properly and getting rest, know that you are not going crazy; you, your mind, heart and body are trying to figure this all out. Be patient with yourself and others, and give yourself the space you need, and do, do the the things that bring you comfort, that help you cope.
And always remember that even though our loved one is no longer with us in this physical world, they remain with us always and that no matter what, their love never dies.
Blessings! and until we meet again.
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