All these songs have helped me find comfort and helped me put my feelings into words when I didn’t know how too. The relationship does not end when a loved one does it changes and continues. We don’t talk much about after they are gone in this way. We may feel crazy or fear to be viewed as crazy,to speak to them aloud. I guess it boils down to beliefs. Do we believe in GOD? And still considered to be wishful thinking to believe their energy goes on in some shape or form and have moments we believe it is more than coincidental. If anything the loss of Christopher made me believe more. It seemed undeniable at times. So I resolve there will be no time wasted again in resentments or judgements. From now on I will try to make my love unconditional to others regardless of how I am treated. Pure love is for giving without measure or deserving. This is how God loves us. There were some references I had no idea what they meant “I pulled a Kanye,” went completely over my head. Then, the use of “thug,” as an adjective (what exactly is a thug-tear?), not just once, but SEVERAL times. A beautiful part of grief I experienced is I got to see and feel a different facet of God’s personality. I got to see how we aren’t left on our own to grieve. I felt God’s presence while my dad was dying. I warmly felt His loving arms embrace me as a comforting heavenly Father. I had never felt that from my earthly father. I can’t tell you how good that felt. What was awesome is that a song started playing on the radio when that happened. It’s called “Held” by Natalie Grant. It talks about how it feels to be held by our Lord.

Nobody with any knowledge or skill in grief support would make a statement like this. Again, it depends on all the factors listed above, and much more. Nearly 12 months ago she finally stopped fighting and left us, after 20 years her death came suddenly And unexpectedly following a fractured hip (second time in a year different leg!). Within 36 hours of her fall she was gone. We always said what we wanted and needed, and we told her often that if dad came for her she was to take his hand and go with him. Her death was so peaceful, so many loved ones were there with us. I did it, I held her hand, talked to her, stroked her face and I let her go.You will have to face your emotions eventually. You can avoid them for a while, but they will catch up with you in the end. I am grateful for all of the A.D.E.’s, (After death experiences), I have had confirming she is with God in Heaven. Speaking as a clinical chaplain certified in death, dying and bereavement by the Association for Death Education and Counseling with 12 years of hospice experience (and having lost a child myself),while many of the points on this list were good, some were incorrect and downright irresponsible, and should never be included on a list like this.

Has anyone experienced a loved one passing away due to Corona Virus? If so have you heard of or are you too experiencing?:“Complicated Grief” If you are not keen on swearing this will maybe not be your thing but the swearing was, to me, the exact descriptor for this whole heinous experience. Everyone should be kind to themselves. Grieve YOUR way. Also EVERY DAY that you get up – is a sign of your strength. I don’t know how it became my job but I’m so proud it did. Because I now know that no one else could’ve done it better. My mom died in July 2020 after a brief, but fierce battle with a rare cancer. It was certainly unexpected. My mother was my best friend. She had taken care of my stepfather for 35 years. She took care of him so well, that he barely knew how to handle the funeral home, pay bills and was unfamiliar with taking care off there house and meals. I have spent the last year taking care of him and teaching him. I have settlied my mom’s personal bills, closed her business and notifying people and companies of her death….. including some of her doctors who somehow “missed the “memo.”

Coping with Loss Every Day (Bereavement or Grief Gift)

Meeting new people, who never knew the person who died, can be hard and sad. But eventually it can be nice to "introduce" them through stories and photographs. Without letting go of deeply buried resentments we cannot fully find our way to forgiveness. The truth is we all make mistakes and do the best we can, for whatever level of spiritual development we find ourselves in at the time. No one is perfect and the truth is, for the most part, the way people treat you has much more to do about who they are than who you are. Resentment also occupies valuable space in our hearts; space that could be filled with happier things:

I have 3 siblings but feel like an only child, I have no life of my own… No one tells you that your siblings expect you to be the sole caregiver of your parents! I began to attend a grief group and during the very first session/meeting I learned that when you begin to grieve you should NEVER MAKE ANY TYPE OF MAJOR DECISIONS. They don’t tell you that you will hardly be able to look at yourself in the mirror, or bear the sound of your own voice, because it perfectly resembles the people that you lost. My face is not my face. My voice is not my voice. It’s their voice, and they’re gone. There will be pressure from others to move on, even minutes or hours after a death, and this can lead to regrets”.We had just retired and had so many plans. We had just moved to a new state and a new community. My support system was no longer across the street. The grief was overwhelming. There were many times I felt I was sinking into a dark hole and couldn’t climb out. I was so angry at everything. I blogged about it on FB to my friends about my new normal of navigating being a widow and that helped. Believe it or not humor helped a lot. I wish I had read this before I lost my mom a few years ago and a dear friend soon after…"– Nina Lesowitz, author of Living Life as a Thank You Some of these statements were made as if they were absolute truths, and it made me wonder if the person who wrote this list had any knowledge of contemporary grief theory and counseling. I would strongly urge you to rewrite the following statements. It can be as simple as inserting the words “sometimes” or “can be” or “for some people” so that you’re not making blanket statements as if they apply to everybody in every situation. For what it’s worth, here are my comments: