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Good Grief!
by
John Kennedy Saynor
The
death of someone you love is the beginning of one of the most
painful times of your life. You feel like you have lost your anchor,
you have lost direction, and nobody cares. Grief is a natural
response to the loss of someone or something of value. We grieve
the loss of relatives and friends, pets, our homes, jobs, financial
security. We also grieve the loss of youth!
Why is
Grieving so Difficult?
- The extent
of the loss. When one you love dies, you lose your dreams and
hopes for the future, a friend, someone who understands you
and someone who shares your past. It may take you months to
understand the extent of the loss.
- The wide
range of emotions. You may experience emotions you have never
known before.
- The intensity
of the emotions. Not only do you experience new emotions, you
feel them with an intensity that makes coping more difficult.
These emotions can erupt like a tornado inside you.
- Each death
is unique. No matter how many deaths you may have experienced
in your life, this loss will be unique.
- Lack of
understanding. A grieving person will often ask, "Why do I feel
the way I do?" Quite simply, most of us don't understand grief
or its effect on our lives.
So
the grieving process is a life long process of change.
If you can say "yes" to that concept, then life will be renewed.
You will live and love again. The memory and the love of your
loved one will continue to move you and inspire you for the rest
of your life.
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John
Kennedy Saynor is an Anglican Priest, a licensed Funeral Director
and Coordinator of the
GENESIS
Bereavement Resource Centres.
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