Grieving openly and in community about our losses increases our likelihood of getting more out of what we still have.
Q: How have you been grieving? How do you live with what you have left? Please tell us your story.
Friend to Yourself
A tip every post on being a Friend to Yourself!
Eighteen months ago I lost my beloved husband; he was my one true love. I talk to people about my David; those close to me share my grief.
I keep a semblance of our relationship. I wear his wedding band around my neck, wear my wedding rings. His pants hang on the back of our bedroom door, his watch and other things are on his nightstand. His clothes still hang in the closet and his shaving items are still in the bathroom.
Most all I talk to David and he lets me know that he is with me. I will struggle each day until we are together again.
blessings ~ maxi
passionate maxi. thank u for sharing this. i’m afraid of this time in my life coming some day. keep on.
Thanks to social networks like Facebook I can express all my joys and woes for hundreds of people i know to have the opportunity to provide me the care and comfort and support I’m looking for. If I don’t want any of that I just don’t post my thoughts. Its instant therapy sometimes.
oh so true!
On February 4, 2013 I resigned my job of 12 years due to the nervous breakdown I had in April of 2012 and the resulting ECT treatments which saved my life but left me with significant short/longterm memory issues that made it impossible to function in my job. I am grieving the loss of who I was for sooooo long. I took an early retirement which does not cover all of my monthly expenses and I am currently seeking employment with less responsibility. I am extremely anxious about exactly how I will be able to function in a new job enviornment. I am coping by continuing to practice consistent recovery behavior by not isolating and continuing to attend recovery groups where it will be beneficial to share what is going on with me. Most days it’s all good, but some days I have trouble coming up with reasons to stay in this life. I am attempting to carve out a new life and to find a passion for life that has escaped me for a lot of years.
wow, Sc. thank u for this “real” glimpse. some days, having trouble coming up w reasons to live sound real tough. u r courageous to say it and to do it, to do the coming up with reasons, every day that they don’t come in flow. u r important to all of us. keep talking.
I have to agree with Carrie. One thing I like about Facebook is that I can message my friends who are professional social workers if I am struggling with anything. I also sometimes use the online crisis chat as well for those things which are more private. If I can talk about my thoughts which are bothering me in different ways I end up feeling a lot better about me.
wow heidi. what great ways to connect and grow coping. what great ways to live w what we have ‘left.” :). keep on.