Susan, I’ve thought of you often over the past week or so, and I wanted to express my continuing sorrow over the loss of your father.
I am praying that the issues and feelings that people tend to encounter at various points during their grief that you find meaningful ways to handle them.
My heart goes out to you and your family. There are no magical words to bring an end to your pain. Loss of a parent can be the loss of a best friend, our childhood, and an important part of our identity. Others may not recognize the deep and extensive emotional ties we shared. You may feel as one man stated, “So many people I know have never met my father or seen us together, so they simply can't understand the depth of my grief.”
Grief takes time, and grief is work. Much of this is emotional work. Countless people put off their grief. Remember that one of the most important ways to care for those who depend on you is to take good care of yourself. If you are attending to your own needs in a healthy way, you will be much more capable of meeting their needs as well.
Grief doesn’t just affect people emotionally; it also affects them physically. Many people experience a loss of appetite, have difficulty sleeping, suffer from a lack of energy, or experience other physical symptoms. My thought here is for you to go the extra mile for yourself and treat yourself as the important person you are.
I hope you find these words reassuring in the days and weeks to come. Remember, the fog is only temporary. It may linger at times or come and go for a while, but sooner or later it will lift.
May God bring you comfort and peace during this difficult time. Through faith, the hope that you have for this pain to ease will come to pass.
From: Phyllis Perry
From Bloomfield, CT
Posted On: January 15, 2013
