Grief is a major interruption in our lives. It takes our life from what it was before the loss to what it becomes after the loss. It begins a new journey in our life that begins at that loss and takes us through the rest of our life. Yes, it will get easier. Time and working through your grief will make it easier. However, it becomes a journey that we take with us. The timeline for each of us is different and as unique as the relationship we had with our loved one.
This grief journey is uniquely yours and takes it’s own winding path as you process and move through it. Unfortunately, there is no magic timeline, prescription or recovery from grief. It is something you get to work through and live with as you move through life. We encourage you to claim your own journey.
Kubler-Ross and other researchers have identified grief stages and that has led some to think that it is a linear process. First there will be denial, then anger, then bargaining, then depression and finally acceptance. But, guess what? It doesn’t work that way. It is more like a roller coaster that takes us on twists and turns.
So, when do we get done with this grief journey? The simple answer is that we don’t. We do heal from the hardcore grief that rips through us and surrounds us in what is often referred to as the grief fog. We learn to incorporate or integrate our feelings of loss and how to handle them when they resurface from time to time. They begin to become welcome memories of times that we had and a part of our history.
People will ask questions along the way and we will start covering some of those in our next blog. Everyone wants us to move on and get back to life. We are living life even as we are grieving but life has changed and will never be the same. We have to rebuild as we move forward and the timeline is up to us. Yes, we may need help and we may have to ask for help, but it is still our journey and we are allowed to navigate it at our pace and in our time.
Remember it’s your timeline and your grief. There is no right or wrong way to grief. Take your time, do what you can, and know you are doing the best you can at this moment.
We want your input on what topics you’d like us to discuss or questions to answer in this series. Please let us know how we can best support you in your grief. Contact us here.
Peace & blessings to you.
Teresa & Jeni
PS: For additional support, you can download our free copy of 10 Ways to Move Forward After Loss
The First Days: Coping with Life After Loss is a resource for the first days after a loss – available on Amazon in paperback.
My Journey as a Widow: A Widow’s First Journal is a follow-up journal for processing complex emotions and moving forward with hope. It is available in paperback on Amazon.
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