My father-in-law was a gregarious person and made friends easily. He valued his friends and they valued him. Friends appreciated his “glad to see you” exclamations, handshakes, and heart-felt hugs. As the years passed Dad’s friends grew into an army of people.
When our hearts have been hit, loneliness begins to invade. Every relationship is unique. No wonder grief is lonely.
FROM THE GRIEVING HEART:
People seem shy around me. And no one mentions you. Why is that?
Are they worried about upsetting me? I’m already upset.
Following the passing of a wife or life-partner, it is the widower who needs support, not the deceased.
Hey Dad If you had one wish
I know your wish would be
To have me back from Heaven
When a loved one dies, our lives are altered forever. This includes the future we anticipated.
FROM THE GRIEVING HEART:
I’m playing catch up as I took last week off to travel to beautiful Sedona, Arizona with my mom and daughter, for the first Ellie’s Way Getaway. It was an amazing week filled with adventure and discovery.
During our time together in Arizona, we were able to meet those online friends that have become family, those who have helped us and encouraged us through our grief. The ones we can be authentic with and share our deepest pain. It was magical.
Organising a funeral for a loved one can be a whirl of conflicting emotions. On the one hand, dealing with the grief and loss makes taking charge of funeral arrangements potentially very trying and stressful.
But on the other, many people take a lot of pride in the responsibility, and setting out to give the deceased the best possible memorial service can be a great source of comfort.
A very dear friend of mine, who has lost her own beloved son, asked me today how far in my journey was I. January 5th will be the fifth year so we are living though our fifth year now. Do I still cry for my son, oh yes, of course I do. Is there still pain and grief? Yes, I believe that will be with us forever, but time will erode some of the edges as we travel. I try not to let the grief overwhelm the life I am living. It can be pushed back for a short time.
This Mothers’ Day I’m thinking about not only my mom, “Beazy,” but also about my one-in-a-million grand mom, Nana! Both will be celebrating the day in Heaven. I wonder, since we know there will be no sadness, carb counting or keto craziness in heaven~ what if they will celebrate the day with one of Nana’s killer 6 layer chocolate cakes?! Is that cake making your mouth water right now, too?
