I Feel Numb

The hits just keep coming, don’t they?

By the time we’re young adults, usually most of us have gotten the message that life isn’t smooth or easy. It’s a virtual mine field.

The death of loved one can be a debilitating explosion. If we’re not careful, we can go internal. After a while, we might even numb-out. 

In the words of Sam

“I’m just here. I don’t feel anything,” Sam said, staring out his living room window.

“The world is still out there, but I’m not interested. It doesn’t seem to matter what I do or where I go. I’m going through the motions.”

Sam paused and turned toward me.

“I feel numb,” he whispered.

Numb is natural

Numb. One definition reads “deprived of the power to feel; emotionally unresponsive, indifferent.”

You’ve been hit and are suffering a sort of emotional concussion. Life becomes foggy. Fatigue comes in waves. You move in a daze.

The color has gone. Everything is a dull grey.

What happened? Where did she go? Why did he leave? What now?

The questions swirl in your traumatized heart.

No wonder you’re numb.

Here’s a grief affirmation for today:

“I’m numb. How could I not be? I love you.”

 Your heart has been hit, perhaps even traumatized. Be nice to yourself. Breathe deeply.

Adapted from the bestselling Heartbroken: Healing from the Loss of a Spouse (USA Best Book Awards Finalist, National Indie Excellence Award Finalist).