Dear Storybook,
Death, loss and grief are always hard, but perhaps never before as hard as during this pandemic year when usual grief supports like, services, hugging and being together are restricted and in a season that many insist is, ‘the happiest time of the year’.
After my husband died, I was so lonely. Whether I was with people or alone, I felt emptiness because he was not there to talk to, to catch my eye, to laugh with me – no matter who else was there, he was not. There was a cloud hanging over my every moment. What I found helpful in those early days was putting one foot in front of the other. Not looking too far ahead because that seemed too empty and bleak. Friends, both those who knew Henry and those who didn’t, who walked and talked with me, had meals with me, laughed and cried with me. Members of this discussion forum community supported me so warmly, virtually. Physical activity got me outside and helped clear my head and heart. Saying his name has been so important for me. He did live and his life had great value.
Nouce quoted in, Grief does not move in a straight line, "Grief hounds our waking moments and sleeping dreams, grabs us by the injured heart and casts us, shipwrecked, onto the treacherous shore.....”
The quote above ends with, “Yet great loss, in its dreadful disguise, is also a gift; the enabling unmasker, transforming our lives forever." --Elaine Pryce
Friends and family, memories and time keep us from being shipwrecked. Lean on them and know you can lean on this discussion forum to talk about your grief and loss.
Warmly,
Katherine