I Can't Catch My Breath

“It’s constant. I had no idea how hard it would be. The depth of the grief is astounding,” Maggie shared.

“Sometimes I feel like I can’t even catch my breath.”

Maggie’s spouse Ted had died of pancreatic cancer six months earlier. No wonder she was gasping for breath. 

Grief packs a punch

Grief carries a powerful punch. It slams us emotionally and physically. Our immune system can be compromised. We get sick more often.

Perhaps you literally can’t catch your breath. Hyperventilation is a natural result of the anxiety that accompanies a large loss. Grief pounds your entire system and affects your whole person.

Chances are you’re surprised by how constant, hard, and deep your grief is. All of this honors your spouse and your relationship. Grieving well is not for sissies. It takes serious courage.

You can be courageous again today.

Grief runs deep

Here’s a grief affirmation for today:

“My grief is deeper than I imagined, but I can meet it with courage today.”

Courage isn’t the absence of fear, but the willingness to feel the fear and not be controlled by it.

Take a moment. Close your eyes .Breathe.

(Adapted from the bestselling Heartbroken: Healing from the Loss of a Spouse)